Lena's Birthday Weekend
by ShyGemini2108
Summary: It's Lena's birthday weekend and the perfect time for Stef and Brandon to meet her family. Addition of a younger sister for Lena, and also appearances by Dana and Stewart Adams. Early in Lena and Stef's relationship, so they are figuring some stuff out. Definitely romance and humor! Hope everyone enjoys! Comments welcomed!
1. Chapter 1

Early Planes and Other Surprises

Lena Adam's little sister was how she always remembered her; early and full of surprises. It wasn't enough that of all things, her flight actually landed about thirty minutes before it was scheduled to, but when Lena arrived to pick Taylor up, she was standing on the curb with a friend in tow. Lena took a deep breath and tried to plaster on a smile as she pulled her car to a screeching halt and placed it in park. She popped the trunk and then walked over to help Taylor and her friend gather their things.

"You're late," Taylor huffed as if she had been standing on the curb for a day and not just under thirty minutes. Taylor and Lena shared plenty of physical characteristics; they were both tall and slender with beautiful curly black hair that Taylor kept a bit shorter than her sister. And they both had brown eyes and deep dimples. The only real difference in the sisters could be found in age and the slightly deeper cinnamon brown of Taylor's skin tone.

"I'm not late, you are early," Lena corrected her little sister. She stopped moving for a moment and pulled the girl into a tight hug. They hadn't really seen one another in over a year; mainly because Lena lived in San Diego and Taylor attended Harvard in Massachusetts. "Now we can argue," Lena said stepping back and smiling at her sister.

Taylor couldn't help but smile also. "I missed you," she admitted timidly. Lena couldn't help but be a little happier. It was hard for Taylor and her to be close, there was a ten year age difference between them and then there was the fact that they lived on different coasts.

"I missed you too!" Lena sighed. "Who's your friend?" she asked gently looking towards the girl who had been silently watching the sisters interacting.

"Oh my gosh…" Taylor said turning around and looked at her friend, "This is my … friend, Zoe. Zoe, this is my sister, Lena."

"I've heard so much about you," Zoe extended her hand smiling.

Lena's smile faltered for a moment. She and Taylor didn't talk often, which is why she probably had no idea who this girl was. Still, she took her hand enthusiastically. "Well, let me grab your bag," she took the small bag and headed back to her car. Taylor loaded her bag into the car and slipped into the front seat with her sister, while Zoe climbed into the back.

"Are mom and dad coming tonight?" Taylor questioned as they headed onto the road.

"No," Lena shook her head so quickly that her dark curls bounced around. "They are not coming until tomorrow, which is great because I can only take two days of our parents."

"At least they don't live on the same coast as you!" Taylor laughed. "Mom shows up on campus unannounced, dad calls every day with the 'joke of the day'."

"You are their baby…they have to do that stuff," Lena teased.

"I'm twenty years old, Lena…I'm graduating in the spring…I really don't need to see my parents that much."

"At least your parents care, sweetheart," Zoe chimed in placing a tender hand on Taylor's shoulder. Lena side-glanced at her sister for a moment, but kept her comments to herself. Everyone in the family knew that Taylor, like Lena, was gay. It was just that Taylor had spent the four years since she came out being complacent with never settling down with one girl. Lena couldn't count on her fingers and toes the number of girls she had heard about Taylor dating.

"Babe, your parents care too…they send us the best care packages from their resort in Mexico," Taylor laughed.

"So…you have met her parents?" Lena questioned nonchalantly.

"They took us to St. Thomas for Christmas," Zoe piped in happily. "All of my brothers and sisters flew down with their spouses…"

"So what do you want for your birthday?" Taylor changed the subject quickly.

"You to behave yourself. Stef and her son, Brandon, will be at my party and mom and dad haven't met them yet…"

"You've been dating her for like four months, right?"

"Technically, she's still married," Lena revealed slowly.

A small smile spread on Taylor's face. "Zoe…and I thought this was going to be boring…" Taylor let out a hearty laugh. "You never said she was married…and with a son. How old is the son?"

"Five… he's in kindergarten."

"Well, that sounds like a nightmare," Taylor shuddered.

"It sounds cute," Zoe punched Taylor lightly.

"Sounds like a mess, and our mother is going to hit the roof. Does she know that your girlfriend is married with a son?"

"No…she knows that I'm dating someone…that's all she needs to know." Lena watched as her sister stifled a yawn. "What…you've never kept a secret?" Her sister only let out a crude giggle.

* * *

Stef Foster had dropped her five year old son, Brandon, off with his father and headed directly to Lena's apartment right after work. She was excited and a bit queasy with the thought of meeting Lena's little sister. Lena hadn't described Taylor much beside the fact that she attended Harvard and was named after Elizabeth Taylor.

Stef rang the doorbell and waited until Lena answered the door. She was her normal gorgeous self, hair halfway down in cascading curls around her beautiful face. Stef couldn't understand how she had gotten so lucky, but every day she fell for Lena a little bit more.

"Hi, Stef," Lena smiled leaning in for a small peck on the lips.

"Has your sister…has Taylor driven you crazy yet?" Stef questioned coming in and handing Lena the bottle of wine she had bought for the evening.

"No," Lena whispered. "She's been asleep…terrible jetlag. But she also brought what I think is her girlfriend…"

"You don't know?" Stef laughed gently.

"I didn't ask. I was a bit embarrassed," Lena's soft brown skin tone flushed red.

"Are they in the same bedroom?"

"Yes…" Lena frowned. She hadn't thought about the logical implications of the two girls sharing her spare room for the next three days. "I can't have my little sister having sex in my apartment."

Now it was Stef's turn to blush. She and Lena had been taking things slow for the last four months. Nothing really sexual at all; as a matter of fact, she hardly figured Lena thought about sex much with her. She knew that deep down inside, Lena was still unsure of their relationship and that made her hold back some.

"Do you want a glass of wine, honey?" Lena repeated herself. She couldn't help but notice how Stef's eyes were undressing her. She shook off the notion and returned her attention to the bottle of wine. "I'm going to start dinner soon."

"No…I'm fine."

"So how is Brandon…you are still bringing him tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, of course, he's very excited about tomorrow. He can't wait to see Ms. Lena," Stef beamed. She knew that she adored Lena, but the fact that Lena cared so much about her son pushed her feelings toward love.

"Yeah, he is thriving at Anchor Beach, Stef. He seems to love it there… I kinda checked up on him yesterday and it looked like he was having so much fun in his class."

"Thank you for being so good to him, Lena," Stef reached across the island to hold Lena's hand. They were interrupted by the bedroom door down the hallway opening.

"Stefanie Foster, this is my little sister, Taylor Adams," Lena introduced the newly awaken girl to Stef. Taylor smiled and extended her hand to Stef.

"Nice to meet you, Stef," Taylor said taking slow inventory of the woman in front of her. She recognized immediately that she and Lena really didn't have anything in common when it came to picking women. Stef was tall, blonde and somewhat muscular. She was beautiful, there was no question about that, but not what Taylor assumed her sister would be attracted to. Her last long term girlfriend was glamorous, high maintenance and an intense pain in the ass, but Taylor liked Gretchen. She couldn't understand why Lena and Gretchen had broken up…other than the fact that Gretchen refused to get married.

"So Lena said you have a son…" Taylor began. She was like their mother, there was really no holding back with her when it came to her sister. "Oh and that you're still married…I'm going to assume that's to a man."

Stef shifted uncomfortable on the barstool, but managed to plaster on a smile. "Yes, I have a son, Brandon and a soon to be ex-husband, Mike."

Taylor trailed off to the fridge and pulled out a beer, that Lena promptly took from her. She only kept beer in the apartment now that she and Stef saw one another more frequently and she definitely wasn't going to let Taylor fuel up to start a fight with her girlfriend. "Mind your own business, Tay…" Lena said firmly. Her little sister rolled her eyes and shrugged, going back into the fridge and pulling out a soda this time.

"I just asked a question, Lena," she smiled innocently. "I think it's nice to have children and marriages…" she laughed teasingly. Although she didn't plan for it to sound so jagged, it hurt both Lena and Stef to hear it laid out like that. "I don't judge people," she had turned now back to Stef. "But I don't want my sister to be some grand experiment…" she stated honestly.

"Taylor!" Lena's face flushed with embarrassment.

Taylor popped the tab of her soda and took a long sip. "I'm just saying…wasn't a disaster with Gretchen bad enough…"

"Taylor!" Lena reiterated.

"I'm not here to hurt your sister, Taylor," Stef said calmly and sincerely. "I am married, but I'm getting a divorce and I do have a son, that Lena loves and her adores her. These are not going to be obstacles to our relationship. I care so much about her," she stated firmly.

Taylor's brown eyes travelled from Stef to a fuming Lena. "You can't be angry with me for caring, Lena."

"You really can't, sweetheart," Stef took her girlfriend's hand again and Lena softened. "And I don't mind," Stef cleared up.

"Well then it's only fair for me to ask your girlfriend questions," Lena countered to her sister. Her anger was dissipating with Stef's touch, but she still had to get to the bottom of Taylor and Zoe's relationship.

"She's not my girlfriend," Taylor shut her sister down quickly. She turned and headed back down the hallway. "Hey, don't start dinner…I'm taking everyone out for dinner," she announced.

"Taylor…" but it was too late, she had already shut the bedroom door behind her. Lena took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her sister was the easy one in the family…if she had pulled that stunt, what was her mother going to do? She slowly opened her back up. "I'm so sorry Stef..." but Stef didn't say anything, just leaned across the counter and kissed Lena passionately on the lips.

* * *

Taylor leaned over and kissed the cheek of a sleeping Zoe. Zoe stirred lightly and rubbed her eyes a bit before focusing completely on Taylor. When Taylor came fully into focus, she closed her eyes again and turned with her back facing her. "Don't act like this," Taylor said gently.

"You said you'd tell them," Zoe said with her eyes still shut tightly. She couldn't look at Taylor right now, because if she looked at her, she would forgive her. She loved Taylor way too much to stay angry with her.

"I am going to tell them…" Taylor said earnestly. "I have three whole days to tell them."

Zoe turned onto her back and ran her hand through her short dark brown hair. Her blue eyes opened and she stared at Taylor for a moment. "I love you, and you lied."

"I didn't lie," Taylor corrected. "Lena knows we are dating…"

"But not married, Taylor," Zoe's voice rose a bit. "We're not dating, we are married and have been since before Christmas! Nearly five months and your family doesn't even know and when we visit your sister you make me hide my wedding band and engagement ring. My parents and sisters flew to Massachusetts the day we were married, and you haven't even told yours! How do you think that makes me feel?"

"It is not that simple, baby," Taylor pleaded, but Zoe closed her eyes again. "I can't just fly in and say…'oh by the way, I'm married, Lena,' or call up my mom and say, 'oh yeah, remember when I was supposed to be studying for exams last semester, oh I was getting hitched.' It doesn't work like that in my family." When Zoe didn't respond, Taylor flopped back onto the bed in frustration. "I love you so much, don't be angry with me," she said weakly.

Zoe rolled onto her side and stared at Taylor for a moment. "You are so frustrating," she leaned down and kissed the side of Taylor's mouth. "You promise you are going to tell them? I'm tired of hiding."

"Yes, but we have to tell Lena first…that's why I invited Lena and Stef to dinner tonight…" Taylor said covering Zoe's mouth with her own. "So get ready for dinner…we're going to have to have a lot of explaining to do…"


	2. Chapter 1 cont

**Second part of the first chapter**

Alcohol had lightened the mood remarkably, and by the time entrees had arrived, Zoe, Lena and Stef had successfully finished an entire bottle of red wine. "So who was Taylor's first celebrity crush?" Zoe questioned. She was already feeling the buzz from her two glasses of the liquid and everything automatically felt less pressurized and funnier.

"Definitely Janet Jackson," Lena answered finishing her gnocchi. "She had this poster…"

"Hey …hey … hey," Taylor stopped her sister as she felt her entire body blush. "I listened to Janet Jackson because I was learning how to play her music," she defeated herself.

Stef laughed, "What do you play, Taylor?"

"The piano, the guitar, but my specialty is the bass."

"She was actually accepted into Juilliard, sweetheart," Lena informed Stef proudly. "She's an amazing musician."

"Yet, you choose Harvard?" Stef questioned.

"Choose…was dragged there kicking and screaming," Taylor replied with not much humor. "But I mean, it ended well," she squeezed Zoe's knee gently. "Now, who was your first celebrity crush, Stef?"

"I don't even remember," Stef admitted honestly. Another bottle of wine was delivered and their entrees, but before Stef could settle in, her cell phone buzzed at her side. Mike's number flashed on the screen. "It's Mike…I have to take this, excuse me." Stef stood and took her phone outside.

"So what do you think?" Lena asked a bit embarrassed that she wanted her sister's opinion so badly.

"She's hot," Taylor shrugged. She turned and looked at Zoe, who nodded her head in agreement. "And does she wear a uniform ever day…my goodness," Taylor smiled.

"I mean personality wise, Taylor…" Lena refocused her sister.

"Oh yeah, she's great," Taylor rushed to get out before Stef returned. When Stef made her way back to the table, she was noticeably frustrated.

"Hey, I have to go; Brandon had a spill and Mike took him to the doctor."

"Is he okay?" the worry in Lena's voice was evident. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, sweetheart, stay with Taylor and Zoe. He just has a little cut from what Mike is telling me. But of course, he wants his mommy, so I'm going to pop by. I'll call you later," Stef kissed Lena's cheek. She was still uncomfortable with kissing her in public. "It was so nice meeting you two," she smiled at Zoe and Taylor.

"Yeah, we'll see you at the party tomorrow," Zoe beamed. She was feeling heady and a bit lightheaded from the alcohol. So much so, she couldn't realize the disappointment in Lena's eyes or the annoyance in Taylor's.

"Does that happen often?" Taylor questioned when Stef had left.

"Sometimes," Lena admitted brushing a stray curl out of her face. She tried to be poised, but Mike's interruptions hurt her feelings. It was likely that Brandon barely had a mark on him, but Mike was blowing it out of proportion to get Stef's attention. It was no secret that Mike wanted his wife back, and using Brandon was a sure fire way to get her back. "Brandon is a beautiful, wonderful little boy."

"And how is Mike?" Taylor asked taking a sip of her water.

"I don't know him well…just interrupting calls," Lena admitted. She had lost her appetite and hated to admit she was a little heartbroken by Stef leaving. She wanted Stef to get to know her family, but Mike had found a way to ruin even that.

"Well why does Stef even answer his calls?" Taylor asked with a hint of annoyance.

Shaking her head mildly, Lena realized that her little sister didn't have children. If she had, she would have understood how children were always the first priority. "It's not that easy, Taylor. Brandon is her baby, she has to go for his sake," Lena explained tenderly. It sounded good, but in a way it put her at odds with herself. How could she have a relationship with Stef if Stef's first priority was Brandon and Mike understood that and could manipulate that?

"Well it seems to suck for you," Taylor sighed taking another sip of her water. "I like Stef…what I know of her so far…but it looks like you get the raw end of this deal…" Taylor's monologue was interrupted by Zoe clearing her throat. The basis of this lecture was not going to be loss on her; the woman had been positioned as nothing more than a girlfriend even though she and Taylor had been married nearly six months. It wasn't loss on Taylor either, who leaned back in the booth and became quiet.

"It's not like it seems, Taylor," Lena assured her. "Stef and I care a lot about each other. We just have to work some stuff out." She took a deep breath and thought of a subject change. Something to get her mind off of the fact that her girlfriend was back home alone with her HUSBAND! Lena couldn't shake the terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Umm…I think I've lost my appetite," she mumbled honestly. "Do you think you two can catch a cab back to my place?"

"I have something important…" Taylor began before Zoe stopped her.

"Of course, don't worry about it," Zoe said feeling the sadness that Lena was throwing off. It was important that Taylor's family knew that she was married, but there was no way it would be well received by Lena if she was already upset.

"We could just go back with you," Taylor suggested. Just like when she was a kid, when Lena's feelings were hurt, her feelings were hurt alike.

"No, I want you to enjoy your meal," Lena tried to shrug off her feelings. Still, truly, she didn't want to be alone right now.

"Why don't we get this to go and do something fun?" Taylor smiled. "Come on…you know you want to."

* * *

Lena watched as Taylor shut her eyes to the slow lapping of the waves against the gondola. She had forgotten how much Taylor hated boats until after she suggested the gondola ride. Lena and her father loved the water and boats and sailing, but Taylor and their mother didn't feel the same.

"Taylor…"

"No! Don't talk to me," Taylor responded with her eyes clamped shut. "I will lose my dinner if I have to talk much more."

"Sweetheart," Zoe soothed. She was torn between feeling bad for her wife and laughing at her.

Taylor opened her eyes, her brown eyes glistening with water. "Does this make you happy, Lena?" she asked.

Lena winkled her nose, "Actually it does," Lena laughed. "I love the water and the sun is setting and it's beautiful out here." She didn't add that she would rather be with Stef. Still, Taylor and Zoe were pretty good company. They had been on the gondola ride for nearly forty minutes and she had gotten to know Zoe pretty well. Zoe had graduated from Harvard last year and was doing an internship in Boston for a product design firm. Her parents were actually resort builders and were living in Mexico for the time being since they were opening a few resorts there in the coming years. And she was the youngest of two brothers and three sisters. It was easy to see why Taylor was smitten with Zoe. She was kind, beautiful and had a great sense of humor. Talking to her had relaxed Lena and somewhat taken her mind off of the fact that Stef was somewhere with Mike.

Lena shook the thought from her mind. "So how did you two meet?" she questioned Zoe more than Taylor, who was turning a bit pale.

"I spilled coffee on her lap so I took her out to dinner to apologize. I guess the rest is history…"

The gondola was docked and for a moment they stayed on until Taylor could open her eyes and exit the boat. "Well, that was fun," Taylor said sarcastically. She leaned against a stone wall and looked back towards the water.

"It was fun," Lena nodded. "I love the water and gondola rides. I wish Stef had the time to come out here sometimes."

"She doesn't bring you here?" Zoe questioned.

"We're pretty busy most of the time. Especially during the school year when I work all day and she has work and Brandon."

"That's understandable," Zoe said knowingly. "It feels like Taylor and I barely see each other during the days and when we get home…"

"You two live together? I thought you still lived on campus."

Taylor was quickly realizing that there was no perfect time to tell her sister that she had secretly gotten married, so this opportunity was as good as any. "You can't live on campus once you are married."

Lena took a second to process the information. "Okay, what does that have to do with you?"

"Zoe and I are married, Lena," Taylor said softly. And then a smile spread across her face. For the first time in months, she felt a little lighter. "We got married before Christmas."

"Before Christmas? In December and you are just telling me! Does mom know, does dad know? Of course not! You're still alive. Taylor why wouldn't you have at least called?" Lena shouted.

"What was I supposed to say; Merry Christmas and oh by the way, I'm married now? It's not something you call people over the phone with!"

"What about with Mom and Dad? You've seen them since then; how have you been lying to them?" Lena questioned.

"I've seen mom like once or twice and she only asks about insignificant stuff like grades, class rank, internships and future jobs. She's been planning my career since I was six. She doesn't even notice me as a person, I'm just a concept to her. I tried to introduce her to Zoe, but she had more important things to do."

"No excuse not to tell anyone," Lena stammered. She looked at Zoe, who had retreated a bit from the conversation. Lena rubbed her temples and looked out to the water. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "This one has just really caught me off guard. Congratulations," she pulled her little sister into a hug and then Zoe. "You may as well be happy today," she smiled, "because our parents are going to kill you tomorrow."

* * *

Lena figured nothing could improve her mood more than knowing that the hot, white spotlight was going to be taken off of her and Stef this weekend. She had fretted for weeks about how her mother and father would react to the fact that Stef was married with a child, and Taylor, being the wonderfully reckless little sister that she was, dropped a prime get-out-of-jail-free card in her lap. She was happy for her sister and Zoe, and happy for herself when she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex. To her surprise, Stef's SUV was parked in one of her designated spots.

Lena got out of the car and tossed her keys to Taylor, who along with Zoe, still looked a bit worn out. The time difference takes time to get used to and they had yet to adjust. She watched as they headed into the building as Stef got out of her car.

"Is Brandon okay?" Lena questioned. She was genuinely concerned about the little boy, but most of all she was trying to hide her disappointment about the evening from Stef.

"Yeah, he's fine," Stef tried to smile as she chunked her hands into the pockets of her jeans. She looked unsure and wobbly, which was unlike the Stef Foster Lena was used to. Of course, Lena had never been angry with Stef either and for some reason, it electrified the air in a distasteful way. "I think Mike was being a bit overprotective taking him to the doctor."

"Well, we can't blame him for being cautious," Lena said casually.

"Lena, you know I would have rather stayed, but I had to be sure."

"I don't fault you for that, Stef," Lena promised shivering a bit from the increasing breeze.

"Then what do you fault me for?" Stef questioned as she removed her leather jacket and wrapped it around Lena's shoulders.

"I'm fine," Lena squirmed even though she could feel the chill on her shoulders. "You'll be cold without your jacket."

"I'd rather be cold than have you cold."

Lena's icy force field melted a little. "Stef it's late. You didn't have to come back tonight."

"Lena, are you angry with me?" Stef asked a bit shocked. Lena was never angry so this was a new side of her. "I had to check on Brandon."

"I know that, Stef," her voice rose without her meaning it to. "I just wanted you for one night and Mike had to interrupt that. I know that you have to put Brandon first, but does that include Mike coming first too?"

"Lena, Mike is not first in my life. He is Brandon's father but that is it. He knows we are seeing each other Lena."

"Yeah and he is making it as difficult as possible, Stef. He still loves you and wants you back."

"I'm divorcing him, Lena. I don't want to be with him, I only want to be with you," Stef took a step closer and pulled Lena a bit closer. "Please don't be mad with me, love." The word was uttered barely above a whispered, but it made Lena's breath catch in her throat. She and Stef had never discussed love as a thing that they shared, but Lena knew she felt it for Stef.

"Don't say that," she whispered humbly. "Don't use that word and not mean it, Stefanie Foster." It wouldn't be fair to be the only one in love. To love Stef and for her to end up leaving after a few month or a year of experimentation with her sexuality. Lena couldn't go out on that limb; not even with Stef.

"Lena, I've never felt like this about anyone else. I do love you," Stef kissed her softly as the wind brushed around them again.

"Mike wants you back," was all Lena could offer weakly.

"Who cares about Mike?" Stef frowned. "I tell you I love you and I have to hear about Mike?"

Lena nearly jumped into her arms, wrapping her arms around Stef. "You know I love you!" she managed before kissing Stef tenderly. "I love you so much; I didn't even think it was possible for you to love me back."

Stef covered Lena's mouth again and suppress the need to squeal. For the first time ever, everything seemed possible. Lena Adams loved her and loved her son! What else could she really need? "Lena, I don't want you ever to worry about me wanting to be with you… you have to know that I do. This is just all so new…"

"Being with a woman?" Lena questioned nervously.

Stef smiled, "No, being in love. I just want everything to be perfect and I know it can't be, but I want to be perfect for you."

"You are perfect for me," Lena kissed her again. "But we have to go inside; I'm freezing." Once inside the apartment, Lena pulled Stef close again. "Spend the night…"

"What about Taylor and Zoe?" Stef asked liking the idea of spending the night, but still becoming nervous.

"Trust me, Taylor and Zoe are likely asleep, and if not, they have problems of their own to worry about. They are secretly married," she whispered. She took Stef's hand and led her into the bedroom.

"How are you parents going to feel about that?" Stef questioned. It felt a bit awkward to be in Lena's bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed beside Lena and stiffened.

"I don't think it's going to go well," Lena admitted. She wasn't completely focused on this conversation; instead marveling at the fact that not only did she have Stef in her bedroom, but she had heard those three words she had yearned to hear the most. "Do you really love me, Stef?"

"Yes," Stef laughed. "What do I have to do to prove it to you?" Stef had jumped ahead of herself with that question. She wasn't particularly ready to take her relationship with Lena to the next level. Not that she didn't want to, she was just inexperience and that bred insecurity.

"I can think of a few things," Lena kissed from Stef's mouth to her neck. She began unbuttoning Stef's shirt but was stopped.

"I don't think I'm ready for this," Stef stated sadly. "I'm sorry Lena, I don't want to disappoint you…"

"You aren't disappointing me, Stef," Lena grinned. "We'll take our time, but I do want you to stay tonight; if only to hold me."

Stef let out a relief sighed and kissed Lena soundly. "I'd love to do that."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the great and lovely comments! This is chapter 2! I hope everyone enjoys! It will likely be Monday before the next part is up because I work on the weekend, but enjoy! Have a good weekend everyone :) **

Pre-Party Bliss

This was an unfamiliar feeling to wake up to in the morning, Stef decided as Lena shifted delicately in her arms. She had become accustomed to waking up alone in bed, or on those rare mornings when Brandon had climbed into bed with her throughout the night. Still, it never felt as blissful as this, with Lena cooing gently in her sleep.

Stef gently tried quietly to disengage herself from the sleeping Lena. She was not used to staying in bed once she was awoke, and this was not a morning she could start. She still had nervous energy from the night before. Just the mere presence of Lena seemed to produce that nervous energy. "Where are you going?" Lena's voice sounds warm and strange, strangled by sleep.

Stef kissed her forehead, "Go back to sleep, love," Stef whispered gently. Lena turned over for a moment, but couldn't fight the sleep monster and was softly snoring within minutes. Stef rubbed her eyes and opened a few of Lena's dresser drawers until she found a pair of pajama bottoms. Pulling them on and adjusting her shirt downward, she made her way into the kitchen to brew some coffee.

"Good morning," Stef was startled by the voice. She turned and saw Taylor sitting on the couch with two books and a notepad in her lap. "Well this is a bit embarrassing," she admitted looking down at her attired. She had figured that only her wife and sister were going to be in the apartment, and since they had both seen her in her underwear, she was good to go. Now, the blue and white boy-shorts that she wore seemed a little inappropriate.

"No more than me coming out of your sister's bedroom," Stef answered. "Do you like coffee?" she questioned changing the subject.

"Not really," Taylor admitted. "After taking a hot cup in the lap once, I kinda loss the taste for it. Plus, Lena has a grinder, and whole beans, and it's a hassle," she informed Stef. Stef looked at all the steps it took to make coffee and decided that it was easier to go without her morning cup.

"What are you working on?" Stef questioned.

"Mathematical proofs," Taylor answered unenthusiastically. "It is part of my honor thesis. The last of college work before graduation that I really need to finish up."

"I thought you were a music major," Stef said settling into a chair near the couch.

"My concentration is in mathematics and economics," Taylor corrected. "I had to give up my dream of being a rock star as soon as that acceptance letter for Harvard came." She went back to concentrating on her work.

"You don't like me, do you?" Stef decided to ask. Taylor looked up at her strangely, her brown eyes glittering with amusement.

"I like you just fine," she shrugged. "I just find it disconcerting that your ex-husband is still in the picture. But that's not my problem either. See, Lena obviously loves you and I've always respected my sister. She's emotional and caring…none of the traits I managed to bundle; so I respect her choice of who she falls in love with. I'm not the one you have to worry about, Stef," Taylor promised.

"But your parents…"

"I'm going to put it like this…I secretly wed my college sweetheart…and I'm less afraid for myself than I am for you," Taylor frowned. Stef nodded and rose to head back to the bedroom.

Lena was still peacefully asleep, unconcerned about the storm that Stef felt was building now. Stef lay back on the bed and smiled when Lena curled up next to her. "Where did you go?" she questioned still seemingly sleep. "I thought last night was a dream."

"No, it wasn't a dream, Lena," Stef settled back into Lena's bed.

Lena opened her eyes now and examined Stef's mood. "What's the matter?" she asked sitting up and pulling her thick curls back. "You didn't sleep well?"

"No, nothing is wrong…" Stef bent to kiss her. "I couldn't get your coffee contraptions to work, but other than that I'm perfect."

Lena smiled. "I can make you coffee," she leaned over and kissed Stef. She rolled out of bed and headed to her kitchen. "What are you doing awake?" Lena asked her little sister, who had went back to her work. "It's like 4 AM Easter time."

"I'm always awake early," Taylor explained. "Oh, and my wife snores so…" Lena began grinding some coffee beans.

"Why don't you have pants on?" Lena asked after a moment of looking at her sister.

"Because I didn't know you had an overnight guest," Taylor stuck her tongue out. "So...I see Stef came to make up for her transgressions." Taylor arched her perfect eyebrows and waited for Lena to explain.

"It's not what you think…"

"Yeah because people always come to apologize and then spend the night and it's not what I think…" Taylor laughed skeptically.

"Not everything is about sex, Taylor," Lena placed the freshly ground coffee in the coffeemaker.

"No; but everything good is about sex," Taylor countered. She stretched smiling with her last comment. "You don't have to be shy about sex, Lena."

"I'm not going to talk about sex with you, Taylor."

Taylor opened her mouth in mock disbelief. "I'm a grown married woman; we can talk about sex, Lena."

Lena shook her head. "Okay, how many times a week do you and Zoe have sex a week?"

Taylor wrinkled her nose and played with her curls nervously, "We're not talking about my sex life; we are talking about yours."

Lena poured two cups of coffee and headed back down the bedroom, "Put pants on Taylor and stay out of my sex life."

"I'll give you one out of the two," Taylor said heading to the bedroom to put pants on.

"My sister is a handful," Lena commented handing Stef a cup of coffee. "You like your coffee black, right?"

Stef smiled, "Yes," she took a sip of the hot liquid. "And yes, Taylor is interesting."

"She didn't say anything to upset you, did she?" Lena asked carefully. Stef had a way of glazing over subjects that hurt or bothered her.

"Taylor actually supports us, she likes me. But she doesn't have any confidence that your parents aren't going to hate me. Lena, love…I love you but if me and Brandon being in your life will make it even a second more difficult, then…"

"No, don't finish that sentence," Lena said putting her cup of coffee down. "Stef, I love you and I love Brandon and being with you two will only make my life easier. As for my parents, we won't know until they get here."

* * *

Taylor peppered tender kisses up and down her wife's spine. Although Zoe was still asleep, she couldn't help but moan to the soft kisses on her back. "Good morning," Taylor whispered as she made her way to Zoe's neck.

"Good morning," Zoe lay on her back and opened her eyes to her wife. She smiled gently and pulled Taylor close. She was surprised at how well telling Lena that they were married had went and now she was more optimistic about Taylor's parents. She reached up and pulled her wife's lips to hers. "I love you, you know," she sighed watching Taylor pull back.

"Yeah, I know," Taylor joked, she had come into the room to put pants on, but the sight of her wife's body had switched her mind to something else completely.

"You don't love me too?" Zoe pouted, running her hand through her dark brown short hair. Her blue eyes sparkled and her bust heaved under the weight of Taylor.

"Yeah…I'm not answering that," Taylor rolled over to the side of her wife. "I'll just end up ravishing you after I say, I love you," she chuckled.

"You don't say that enough," Zoe informed her wife, kissing the side of her mouth. She had put on her engagement and wedding rings and they sparkled in the sunlight. "Are you going to put your wedding rings back on?"

"Of course. I love my wedding bands, everyone needs to know that I'm taken."

Zoe couldn't help but be elated and in being elated, felt that she had to straddle her wife. Taylor groaned lowly, feeling her body tightened. Zoe wasn't what she had usually gone for in girls; she was petite and slightly tanned with dark hair and blue eyes. "You are very taken," Zoe announced. "God, you are gorgeous," she murmured leaning down to kiss her wife again. She ran her fingers around the maroon Harvard shirt that Taylor wore.

"Lena had the audacity to ask me how often we have sex…" Taylor began as she rose up a little bit and leaned against the headboard. "If she only knew…"

"I don't think sex and intimacy are the same thing, baby," Zoe stated but kissed the side of Taylor's mouth again.

"What does that mean?" Taylor asked confused.

"It means that I feel like I have your body all the time, but sometimes I feel like I don't have your mind and emotions," Zoe answered honestly. She looked away, not wanting to ruin the moment and knowing that comments like this made Taylor a bit angry. She was surprised when Taylor gently redirected her sight back to her eyes.

"You are the only person that has had all of me, Zoe," Taylor promised. "I'm so sorry that I made you question that for even a moment." Zoe couldn't stop the abandoned tears from straying down her cheeks. "Baby, don't cry," Taylor begged squeezing her hips gently. She pulled her in for another kiss right as she heard a knock on the door.

"Taylor, get dressed…you are going to pick up mom and dad with me."

Zoe couldn't stifle the laugh that escaped from her mouth. "No, go by yourself," Taylor yelled back in frustration.

"If I go by myself, I'll tell them that you are married," Lena promised.

Taylor lay her head back on the headboard. "I'll be ready in twenty minutes!" she decided.

* * *

"Oh my gosh! Why do I have to go to the damn airport; why can't you pick up mom and dad, they are your parents!" Taylor fidgeted in her seat. Lena and Taylor had made the trek to pick up their parents alone. Zoe went back to sleep, or was getting dressed and Stef had went to get Brandon ready for the day. Taylor was more than happy to stay at the apartment, but Lena insisted she come along to the airport.

"Perhaps I just want to talk to you alone," Lena suggested.

Taylor thought about it for a moment, and finally shook her head. "Nope, you just don't wanna be with our parents alone." She smiled and Lena had to admit she was right. Her parents were sometimes draining and the fact that she had a birthday party to prepare for this evening meant that Lena needed even more of a buffer.

"Actually, we haven't gotten much time to talk. What's going on in your life?"

"What's going on in your life?" Taylor flipped the question.

"Well, I have work, which is great and Stef, who is wonderful," Lena knew she couldn't help the fact that her eyes were lighting up with Stef's name.

"She's different, huh?" Taylor had an unfamiliar understanding of her sister for once. Lena and she were different, very different as a matter-of-fact. "You have THAT look on your face when you talk about her…"

"The look you have with Zoe?"

"I didn't know I had a look with Zoe," Taylor blushed.

"Well you do…it's new and beautiful. You look happy…and you never had a happy look."

Taylor rolled her eyes, "And you look happier, which is kinda sickening because you are a pretty happy person already. I, on the other hand, was never very happy; but Zoe is amazing. You know, I met her at this party…one of the two parties I attended last year, because no one parties at Harvard. It's all work, class, internship, homework, every day and then on the weekends it's just homework. So one night after midterms last semester, my roommates drag me to this party. And it was a terrible party, Lena, everyone was drunk with an hour of being there and since I don't drink, I was sober and bored and then I saw her. She was leaving, but for a split second her blue eyes looked through the crowd and stopped on me…" Taylor stopped and looked at her sister who was thoroughly engulfed with her story.

"What happened?" Lena whispered.

"She left out of the door and I was too slow to see which way she had gone. I thought I had lost her forever. It was heart wrenching to actually not even know her name, and no one understood because how can you miss someone you never even knew?"

"How did you find her?"

"She found me…her best friend, Kasey worked at the coffee shop where my thesis professor and I met to discuss my paper. Zoe had obviously felt what I did that night and had been talking to Kasey about it. So Kasey texted her about this girl, who was in the coffee shop that afternoon that matched the description of who Zoe wouldn't shut up about. So Zoe, drives in from Boston and comes into the café to "scout me out," and orders a coffee and gets so nervous when I approach her that she spills it on me. All over my white linen pants; and I didn't even care. I was so happy and excited to see her again. It was honestly like we were meant to be…"

"Is that why you didn't tell anyone," Lena asked finally understanding her sister.

"I felt like if I told you guys, I would lose that feeling. But when I told you last night, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of me."

"Plane 573 from Houston, Texas is now landing," a man over the intercom system announced.

"Are we ready for this?" Taylor questioned gently.

"We'll have each other's back right?" Lena needed some security that this won't be a disaster.

Taylor took her sister's hand. "Yes!" she promised solemnly.

Lena and Taylor's pact lasted all of fifteen minutes. It lasted through hugs and kissed from their parents, but the second Dana went in on her youngest daughter, Lena knew better than to go in for her sister's defense.

"You look like you've lost some weight, Taylor," Dana took a long examination of her daughter. "What size are those jeans; they are hanging off of you," she grabbed at Taylor's waist.

"Mom!" Taylor was obviously frustrated already and looking to Lena for some sort of help. Instead, it was her father who saved her.

"Sweetheart, leave Taylor's pants alone please," Stewart Adams pleaded.

"Yes, please leave my pants alone mom!" Taylor said throwing her mother's bag into the trunk of the car. She sat in the front seat and shot her sister an aggravated look. Lena could only shrug. If Dana was bothering Taylor with minor things, she wasn't bothering her with major things.

"Taylor, did you apply to that internship with Chase?" Dana questioned. "You said you would before you flew down here and I haven't heard anything."

"Mom, are you checking up on me?" Taylor let out a frustrated groan. "I can't move to New York anymore, it's not an option."

"And why not! You are very high in your class, and a brilliant mathematician. Why can't you move to New York and make a fortune?"

"Mom, it's my birthday weekend, please just give it a rest," Lena pleaded.

"This is your sister's future, Lena. You are already settled. The youngest vice principal ever to be at Anchor Beach, but now it is time for Taylor to make her way. She can be on Wall Street by the time she is 22, a full broker and climbing the ladder…"

"I don't plan to climb any ladders, I'm afraid of heights," Taylor quipped. Dana was resigned to sit back and be quiet for a bit, giving their father time to talk.

"How is your honor thesis coming along, Taylor?" he asked his youngest daughter.

"Boring…it's about math," Taylor laughed and Lena joined in. "How about you, dad, how have you been?"

"My children never call, but fine," her father joked.

They pulled into the parking lot of Lena's apartment building. "Before we go in, I brought Zoe with me this weekend," Taylor announced. She wasn't nervous, but had hardened herself for a fight.

"The girl you are dating?" her father smiled. He was proud of Taylor. For the first time she had taken the initiative to settle down with one girl. Stewart never really worried about Lena, but Taylor was a different story. She was focused on work and projects, but when it came to love or relationships, she was far quicker to walk away.

"Yes sir," she could hear her mother clear her throat noisy, but she wasn't going to let that deter her. "Mom, dad…" she began but stopped when she saw Stef's SUV pull up and park beside them. Lena quickly killed the engine of her car and got out to talk to her girlfriend.

"Who is that?" Dana asked more intrigued with Lena now than what Taylor was saying.

Taylor cleared her throat, but her parents were too consumed with Lena, which was a common occurrence when Lena was around. "It's her girlfriend, Stefanie," Taylor explained. She watched as Lena ran her fingers through her curls and then huffed towards the apartment. This was obviously a problem that yelled, "not good," and if Taylor knew anything, she knew that her mother thrived off of "not good!"


	4. Chapter 4

It's Not Easy to Say

"I think you should probably not take OUR son to your "girlfriend's" birthday party!" Mike had yelled. He was already agitated by the time Stef arrived to pick Brandon up at 10 that morning. Mike, in his own way, was an attractive guy; dark hair, beautiful brown eyes and athletic. He was the All-American guy and at the time, Stef figured they would be perfect for one another. Her father loved him, her mother tolerated him and she could be happy enough with him. Of course, when his drinking became an issue and Stef realized that she and Brandon were spending more time alone than with him, she decided that alone may be better than with Mike. Now, alone didn't last long, because before Brandon started kindergarten, Stef met Lena. And right then and there, she realized alone wouldn't have to be an option. All she wanted to do was to allow Lena and Brandon to bond in another capacity, and perhaps even get approval from Lena's parents. However, Mike wasn't going to make this easy.

"Mike, you got Brandon last night," Stef said as calmly as possible. Brandon was on the couch only halfway paying attention to what his parents were saying. He felt the tension, but cartoons had a way of stealing his attention from the increasing volume of his father. "Now, he is my son and he's going with me," she spoke through gritted teeth.

"He is MY son!" Mike spat out, "And he's not going to spend any time with that damn woman! It's enough he's EXPOSED to her during the week; he won't be spending his weekends with her too!"

"As if you have any choice!" Stef's volume now increased and out of the corner of her eye, she could see Brandon's focus was now on her.

"I have plenty of choice!" Mike promised. "Hey buddy…" he said going to kneel in front of his son, "Would you rather go to the beach and fish with your dad, or go with your mom to a boring old party," he asked Brandon. Stef was stunned into disbelief. Of all the dirty, low down tricks she assumed Mike would pull, she never thought he would thrust Brandon into the middle of this. Brandon looked frightened, tossing his gaze back and forth between his parents. "Come on buddy, fishing with your dad would be fun, right?" Mike pleaded a little. Stef could see Brandon's little eyes filling with water and didn't have the heart to make his choose.

"Hey baby," she cooed, "don't cry, honey. You go with your father fishing today and I'll pick you up tomorrow, okay baby," she closed her eyes to the surge of anger that course through her body. She felt almost stiff with rage until Brandon pounced off of the couch and engulfed her in a hug.

"Sorry Mommy," the little boy offered weakly. He didn't know why he was apologizing, but he didn't want either of his parents to be in pain.

"No, baby, don't be sorry. Go have fun with your dad, I'll see you tomorrow," some of her rage dissipated when Brandon wrapped his little arms around her neck. She kissed her son and held him a bit longer before releasing him. After shooting Mike a hardened glance and wishing she could smack the smugness off of his face, Stef had the task of trying to explain Brandon's absence to Lena.

This was not going to be an easy task, Stef realized as Lena pulled her curly hair back and bit down on her lower lip. "What does that even mean, Stef? Mike doesn't want him to come to my birthday party? He's your son…"

"He's Mike's son too, Lena," Stef tried delicately to explain. "I can't just do whatever I want…"

Lena was quiet until Taylor had successfully ushered their parents into the apartment building. "I don't know what to say to you right now, Stef." Lena admitted.

"Lena…say something," Stef requested. She could take Lena's anger, but her silence was unbearable. It was the one way she knew for sure she was losing Lena, the silence. "Lena, I love you so much…"

"I don't think you can," Lena came to the realization. It was clear and apparent and couldn't be avoided. "I don't think you can choose us, Stef. Mike was always going to be an obstacle in their relationship and although she loved Stef and Brandon, Lena wasn't sure she was ready to fight Mike at every turn."

"Mike is my problem, love…"

"No, Stef," Lena said softly. "If we are going to be a couple, we have to face Mike together and I don't know if I can…" she didn't want to cry, but Lena didn't know if she could stop the tears.

"We can do this, Lena. I love you so much and I don't want to lose you."

Lena pulled back a little, "I have get ready for my party, Stefanie. And I'm sure my parents and sister are only going to play nice for a few minutes so …"

"Lena don't do this…"

"Goodbye, Stef," she whispered before turning away and heading into her building.

* * *

_"__It's not easy to say, but someone has to say it."_

This was the prevailing saying of Dana Adams whenever her daughters did something that she didn't agree it. She had only said so to Lena a few times during her entire life; but this saying was second nature to mostly anything Taylor did. She had said it when Taylor was in middle school and quit all sports so she could "focus on music full time," or when she got into Juilliard and was going to go there instead of Harvard University. Yes, Dana had said "not easy" things to Taylor for all of Taylor's life; however, this was not particularly the same with Lena. Still, being ushered pass Lena and her new "girlfriend," Dana could feel one of these moments coming on.

"So that was Stefanie?" Dana asked as Taylor opened the front door to Lena's apartment. She had been a good sister, Taylor decided. Not allowing their parents to see the imminent fallout from whatever heavy discussion Lena and Stef were having in the parking lot. She had quickly suggested that she and her parents go upstairs, because there was something important she needed to tell them. She would be taking the first bullet, hypothetically that is, her parents despised guns, which was going to be another thing Lena had to contend with since Stef was a cop.

"Mom, don't worry about Stef right now…you'll meet her later," Taylor said opening the door to the apartment slowly. She hated to admit as much, but she was truly frightened by how this marriage news may fall out for her. Luckily, Zoe wasn't in the living room when she opened the door and her parents followed her into the apartment.

"So, tell us more about girlfriend," Stewart suggested. He had seen his oldest daughter arguing with her girlfriend too, but was a lot less interested in that fact that Dana seemed to be. As if on cue, Zoe opened the door to the spare bedroom.

"You two are sharing a room?" Dana picked up on almost automatically, but Stewart brushed that fact off immediately.

"You must be Zoe," he smiled sweetly extending a hand as the woman made her way down the hallway. "You are quite beautiful," he commented.

Zoe couldn't help but smile as she shook her new father-in-law's hand. She made her way to Dana, who shook her hand graciously also. "You are quiet beautiful," Dana agreed. She felt it necessary to leave out that she was nothing like the women Taylor usually dated. Dana studied the girl for a moment, appreciating the beautiful dress that Zoe now wore. She was quite impressed for a moment, before the sunlight bounced off of a modest diamond ring on her finger. It took another moment before her brain registered the platinum band behind the diamond. Dana was confused for a moment… "Are you married, darling," she asked with kind but gentle precision. She knew this was too good to be true; it was just like Taylor to date someone else's wife! Someone who looked nice and normal and lovely would of course have to be married for Taylor to take any notice in her.

Zoe looked from Taylor to Stewart, back to Dana, who was now shooting laser beams at her youngest daughter. But Taylor's eyes were trained on Zoe, who was in one word, speechless. "Mom," Taylor began slowly, watching the once color-drained face of her wife, now began to regain some of its color. "Zoe is married…"

"Wow! A married woman," Dana huffed trying not to vocalize her disappointment, but apparently losing. "Of all the women in the world, Taylor Marie Adams, you choose a married one!" Dana shook her head in frustration. Taylor looked to her dad for some type of reprieve, but could find none at that moment. He too, was astounded by the fact that Taylor would be dating a married woman. It was like his youngest daughter's brain was off sometimes.

"She's not married to just anyone, Mom…she's married to me," Taylor corrected.

Dana and Stewart exchanged glances of disbelief. "What did you say?" Dana questioned slowly. She had to have heard something wrong. She scanned Taylor's fingers quickly, noticing that there was no ring she had missed earlier. She felt her chest pounding, and her throat closing.

"Zoe and I were married before Christmas, last year…"

"Without our permission," Dana stammered in disbelief. Now the thought of her daughter running around with a married woman seemed a bit more promising than her twenty year old actually being married.

"I am twenty years old…I don't need permission to get married in the state of Massachusetts, mom."

"Okay, well where do you get off getting married to someone we've never met?" Dana countered. She was not angry; only confused, aggravated and overall numbed by the fact that Taylor could do something like this. That was a question that Taylor didn't have an answer for…When Taylor couldn't answer, Dana perched gently in one of Lena's armchairs. "Did your sister know about this?" she asked quietly.

"No," Taylor answered. "She found out yesterday."

Right when Dana thought that she had gotten Taylor on the right track, something like this happens. Still, Dana knew better than to react too badly; Taylor was rebellious and too clever for her own good. There was only one way to play this situation; with the utmost helpfulness and sweetness. Dana smiled sweetly and rose from her seat again. "Well, welcome to the family, Zoe," she embraced the girl warmly. Stewart and Taylor exchanged gently confused glances, but Lena opening the front door stopped their impending questions.

Lena took a fortifying breath and looked around the room. Her emotions were spent, but it was her birthday and she wasn't going to cry, even though she wanted to. A smile painfully inched onto her face and she sighed, "What'd I miss?" she asked cluelessly.

* * *

"Why are you nervous?" Lena whispered in her sister's ear. They were in the kitchen, looking through the pass-through into the living room at their parents and Zoe getting to know each other. Lena had fought off her tears for the time being, because it was easier to focus on Taylor and her problems right now. "And you told them you were married?" Taylor only nodded, her mouth still open in awe at how well her parents had taken it.

"What their end game?" she whispered back to Lena.

"I don't know…I expected Mom's head to blow off when she heard…" she admitted honestly. She glanced over at her sister, who looked surprising more and more like her each day, and laughed. "Just be happy."

"Seems too much like a Trojan Horse," Taylor sighed.

"They like her…get over it," Lena kissed her sister's cheek. "I have to go run some errands before I get dressed for the party, but try to relax…okay," Lena encouraged. She announced that she'd be heading out for a while before the party, but her parents seemed too engulfed with Zoe to actually protest her departure.

"So you attended Harvard also?" Taylor could hear her father ask. As soon as Lena headed out the door, her mother had come to the kitchen to be with her.

"Congratulation," her mother said kindly, pulling her youngest daughter into a hug. "Not the best way to find out my daughter is married, but I like Zoe," she decided.

"You do?" Taylor questioned skeptically. She desperately wanted her parents to actually like Zoe, but this was really turning out too good to be true.

"What I know of her so far," Dana said opening the fridge. She didn't really want anything, but enjoyed doing a thorough check of her daughter's apartments if she had a chance. "She's beautiful and nice from what I can tell. She comes from a good family…why wouldn't I like her, honey?" she smiled at Taylor. Taylor took a deep breath and searched her mind for why she thought this would be harder. "Not to mention she has a great internship with a predominate company in Boston. It's good to know that you've settled down… that you'll be staying in Boston," Dana commented opening the cabinets now.

"We haven't decided if we are staying in Boston," Taylor announced. "You know I have a lot of opportunities in New York."

Dana nodded and smiled. "Yeah, there are plenty of places she can get a job in New York. Is her internship over soon, or are you planning to forgo yours?"

"What do you mean?" Taylor was a bit confused.

"Sweetheart, your father and I love you and we respect your decision, but there is no way we are going to continue sending you checks for your rent and food and the other essentials. You are a married woman, you'll get a job. I'm sure her parents feel the same… it would be an embarrassment to pay for a married couple's living expenses. Think about buying a house…your father and I would be happy to help with the damn payment for that," Dana suggested. "But we really can't continue to support you," she followed up firmly.

Taylor felt her windpipe constricting a bit. She didn't want to give her mother the satisfaction of knowing that she hadn't even thought of any of these issues she was raising. Not to mention the fact that she and Zoe both made a net of zero income. She would have to take a job somewhere, and maybe work through graduate school…or maybe graduate school wasn't even a possibility anymore. This was why it was easier to be on her own…she could take care of herself, alone, with the help of her parents' money. Taylor sucked in a big breath and released it noisy… she could see her mother's lips moving but not hear a word.

"Taylor Marie, are you listening?" Dana asked sharply.

"Ma'am," Taylor choked out.

"Since you are married, I'll be expecting grandbabies. I mean, I am a little young to be a grandmother, but I believe it brings a little dignity to a woman. Plus, I can't wait to see the people's reactions when I go, 'yes, I am a grandmother and look this good." Her mother rattled off.

Now Taylor was sure she was hearing a distinct ringing in her ears. "Excuse me, I need a glass of water," she reached for a glass and drowned a glass of cold water from the faucet.

"Yes, I suspect Zoe will want to have the children too. I mean no harm, but your scrawny hips, a baby may damn well kill you. Which means you will continue to work. I don't know, giving Zoe at least three years off with the baby should be sufficient right? Your father gave me at least three years off with each of you…it won't be necessarily cheap…"

Taylor knew it…it was embarrassing but she was destined to faint right there in front of her mother. Her knees with unnoticeably wobbly as she steadied herself on the counter. What in the hell was she thinking, pinning herself down with all this responsibility. Zoe WOULD want children, hell she loved children and Taylor was the youngest child, she could have cared less about having children. Not to mention, Zoe came from an insanely wealthy family. To support the lifestyle that her wife was accustomed to, Taylor would have to make a six digit salary…a six digit salary and children and a wife… what the hell had she been thinking.

Dana wasn't stupid and the panic and tiny amount of sweat mounting on Taylor's upper lip was indicating that her plan was working. Taylor had likely been planning for months the sharp protest she would mount to Dana's objection to her marriage, but completely agree with the marriage…Taylor would never suspect that! And heavens knows nothing frightened Taylor Marie Adams more than responsibility! A gold fish had been too much for her at age 6, a puppy was too much at age 12 and a marriage would be entirely too much at age 20. Mama Dana only had to let her realize that for herself.

"Taylor," her mother cupped her face lovingly. "I wish I was there to see you get married, but I must admit, I am so proud of your maturity. Taking this type of responsibility seriously is really a blessing. I love you, sweetheart and I honestly couldn't be prouder," Dana kissed her youngest daughter forehead, leaving the red stain of lipstick on Taylor's brown skin and the undeniable black ring of fear rolling through Taylor's mind.


	5. Chapter 5

It's Even Harder to Do

Stef admittedly used to love fishing. It was something that she and Mike had done often when they were married. She loved the peacefulness of the water, the excitement of the catch and sometimes just the quiet of waiting. It was something that she and Mike shared, but now, pulling on her baseball cap to shield her from the sun, Stef really began to hate the activity. Mike had a special "spot" for fishing, so she wasn't surprised that a little after two in the evening, he had made good on his promise and brought Brandon to this spot.

Stef had let out a sigh of relief, figuring that she may very well have to go back to Mike's apartment to pull this little plan off, but was at least grateful that Mike hadn't been completely lying. Brandon spotted her almost immediately, running towards his mother on the pier. "Mommy! What are you doing here?" Brandon nearly squealed.

"Hey baby," Stef hugged her son. "I figured you and daddy shouldn't have all the fun," she smiled and smirked at the dismayed look on Mike's face. He though he had won. No, he easily thought he had gotten his way and that if he just submitted Brandon in the middle of his frustrations, then he would get his way. There were a number of reasons Stef couldn't let this go unpunished, but in the forefront of her mind was the look of disappointment on Lena's face.

"What are you doing here, Stefanie?" Mike questioned with a bit of angst in his voice. He sat down the fishing poles and tackle boxes on the pier and Brandon readily grabbed his.

"Mommy, can you help me?" the little boy asked eagerly. Stef helped her son, but watched Mike intently. He was anxious, not knowing exactly what Stef's intent was, but knowing it wasn't going to be great for him. Once Stef had gotten Brandon to cast into the water, she turned back to Mike.

"What are you doing here, Stef?" Mike asked again.

"I'm taking my son to my girlfriend's birthday party, Mike," Stef said taking a worm out of the container filled with earthworms. "That was the agreement, and as adults, we are going to follow through on our agreements," she mused gently.

"You aren't going to tell me what to do, Stef."

"Really, Mike…" she speared the earthworm onto the hook in a manner that wasn't loss on Mike. He shifted uncomfortably and she couldn't help but take some pleasure in his discomfort.

"Stef, did you really figure I was going to be happy that our son was meeting Lena!" His anger was getting the best of him and Brandon was beginning to notice.

"I expect you to be an adult and not thrust our son in the middle of things, Mike. And Brandon already knows Lena…"

"I like Ms. Lena," Brandon interjected. Neither of his parents really noticed that he was now exclusively focusing on them and their conversation. "Dad, Ms. Lena is nice, she's my friend," he stated boldly.

"That's not the point, Brandon," Mike shouted at the boy. This was getting away from him quickly. Between Stef's infatuation with Lena, and Brandon actually liking her, he didn't see a way out.

"What is the point, Mike?" Stef asked honestly.

"The point is that Brandon in my son! Something you and I did together before you confused yourself! We had a great marriage Stef and you are throwing it away over nothing!"

"We didn't have a great marriage, Mike. I am gay; I was gay when we met, I was gay when we were married and I am finally able to admit that. I know that you don't understand that, or even care, but this has nothing to do with you. So, we are going to fish with our son; and then I'm taking him to get dressed, because besides Brandon, Lena is the most important person in my life right now."

Mike stared at her for a moment before jerking his fishing rod out of her hand and flinging it into the water. It was all he could do not to scream at her, or even worse. How dare she…how dare she tell him about their marriage, or what she was going to do with their son, or even worse; put Lena Adams on a pedestal.

Brandon put his fishing pole on the pier and pouted, leaning against his mother's leg. He hated when his father was angry, and he was angry all the time lately. "Come here, Brandon," Mike demanded. When the little boy didn't budge, Mike rolled his eyes at Stef. "Is this what you want Stef! For a boy not to be with his father!"

"No! I want to give you every opportunity to be a part of Brandon's life, but not like this Mike. Not being conniving and petty and small. Grow up, just grow up, Mike." She looked down at Brandon, who was nervously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "Go pick your fishing pole back up, sweetheart, she instructed calmly. Brandon looked at her, not sure he was hearing her correctly. "Yes, sweetheart, we are going to fish with your father and then we are going to get dressed for Ms. Lena's party." The little boy nodded and collected his fishing pole, while his mother sat beside him. It was important to show Brandon that she wasn't afraid of Mike, and neither should he be. Mike was his father, and although he had a way of throwing terrible tantrums, he loved Brandon dearly. However, it was all she could do not take her son and get in their car and leave Mike right where he stood.

Stef could understand that this was major change for everyone, but in no way could she allow her soon to be ex-husband poison Brandon against Lena. And furthermore, Mike just needed to grow up! Stuff happened to everyone and Stef could admit that it was an adjustment for even her. She glanced at Brandon, who seemed to have relaxed again, and smiled. The boy returned her smile and looked back at his father.

"Daddy," he handed the fishing pole his way, "You don't have a pole now…"

Mike removed his hands from his jeans pocket and took the fishing pole from his son. Stef had won for now, but Mike was sure he wouldn't go quietly in the future.

* * *

Lena knew the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below would center her. Somehow the need for fresh air had led her to the large cottage converted into a restaurant where her birthday party was being held. She had reserved the large main dining room, the one with enough space to hold her twenty-five or so guests. The double doors opened up to a porch that looked right onto the sandy beach and frisky Pacific Ocean.

"Ms. Adams, is everything to your liking?" the manager questioned gently. Lena had been engulfed in her own thoughts and had not heard the woman come in.

"Everything is beautiful," she smiled, gliding her finger over the white linen with ocean blue accents.

"Wonderful. Appetizers will be out by five thirty promptly, followed by your plated meal at six thirty."

"Thank you," Lena nodded. How could she not be happy; the room was beautiful and everything seemed to be buzzing along right on schedule. Why couldn't she just push Stef from her mind? Still, she found herself replaying last night in her mind. How Stef felt in her bed, how gentle and tenderly Stef had held her throughout the night. She knew that Stef wasn't faking her feelings, but how could she compete with Mike, Lena found herself asking. That was the father of her son; if pushed to choose, eventually Stef would breakdown to make things easier for Brandon. And of course, she should! But Lena didn't want to be the odd woman out.

Lena remembered for the first time that her cell phone was planted firmly on her hip. The annoying ring tone that her sister had personally set for her incoming calls was screaming out at her. "Yes, Taylor," Lena sighed brushing away a tear that she hadn't even realized had fallen until that moment.

"Where are you?" Taylor asked impatiently. "Mom is worried…she said, she knows you don't have to 'tame the mane' or anything but it would be tacky to be late to your own party."

Lena bite down on her lower lip to quell her loaded retorted. For some reason, Dana Adams figured the fact that she and Taylor were biracial squashed all their needs to do anything with their hair. "I'll be back in less than thirty minutes," she promised.

"Okay," Taylor sighed. "Just checking…"

"Is Mom driving you crazy?"

Taylor paused for a moment, "No…" she answered in an almost defeated tone.

Lena figured she would have to unpack that answer in due time, but turning her slight wrist over and looking at her watch, she knew it was time to get home. She had to get dressed and somehow suppress the tears that would ultimately follow her announcement that Stef and Brandon wouldn't be attending her party. She ran through the words several times on her way back to her apartment, yet when her father, in his gently prying way, questioned if Stef and her son were meeting them at the venue or here, Lena firmly lied.

"She's meeting us at the venue," Lena lied easily. She headed into her bedroom and firmly closed the door before any follow-up questions could be asked. Still, it wasn't long before someone knocked on her door. Taylor peeked her head inside.

"Mom would like to know if she has to walk to her hotel or are you actually taking them?" Taylor asked through gritted teeth. Taylor's tolerance for their mother was far less tested than Lena's and it tended to backfire like a rubber band that has been stretched too far. Lena threw her keys to her sister, who caught them effortlessly. "Can you please drive them? The Hilton…and then I'll pick them up on the way to the restaurant."

"Where is the Hilton?" Taylor snorted.

"Follow the signs, Taylor!" Lena leaned back on her bed in frustration. Her bed, even though made up, still faintly smelled of Stef's perfume.

"Fine," Taylor closed the door behind her. It took a minute before Lena could hear everyone exit her apartment, but she took a deep breath of relief before she allowed the tears to properly erupt from her eyes. She allowed herself only five minutes of this nonsense before she headed into her bathroom. She took a band and pinned her hair to her head; she had a party to get ready for…

And nearly ninety minutes later, she was ready. Her white dressed with light blue accents hugged her body in just the right places and as usual, Lena was happy with her appearance. She opened her bedroom door and walked down the hallway. "Taylor," she yelled at the girl, who was laying on her couch, not dressed, "you are supposed to be dressed!"

"Zoe is getting dressed," Taylor stuck her tongue out.

"I'm leaving in fifteen minutes," Lena promised looking at her watch. "You'll have to catch a cab…and be at the venue by five, Taylor." It was like talking to the wall, Lena realized as her sister covered her eyes with her forearm. Zoe emerged from the bedroom and did a quick twirl.

"How do I look?" she questioned gently. She was wearing a pink dress with a dark blue belt around the midsection. Taylor sat up a bit and looked over her wife and then smiled.

"You look beautiful," Lena confirmed. "You two are going to have to catch a cab though, because I don't want to be late. Go get dressed, Taylor." She requested dropping her wallet and a few other items in her small clutch handbag. "I'll see you there; call a cab, Taylor." Taylor only rolled her eyes as she heard the front door close.

"Babe, you do need to get dressed," Zoe suggested. "I'll call for a cab." Sometime after her parents had arrived, Taylor had gone nonverbal on everyone. Zoe was actually accustomed to this, when Taylor was in deep concentration or when something bothered her, but it didn't make Zoe worry any less. Even though her meeting the new in-laws had went wonderfully, something seemed to have gotten on Taylor's nerves and Zoe couldn't understand what. "Taylor…"

Taylor uncovered her eyes again.

"Can we talk?" Zoe questioned lightly.

"Not now…I have to get dressed," Taylor said hopping off the couch and into the bedroom.

She had every intention to follow her wife, but the doorbell rang, impeding her progress down the hallway. She opened the door and smile. "Hello Stef," she said, and then looked down at the little boy at her side. "You must be Brandon." Brandon nodded his head slowly, but moved behind her mother.

"Is Lena here?" Stef asked almost frantically. She had stayed on the fishing pier a bit too long, trying her best not to show anger and to allow Mike time with his son. By the time they left, went home, bathed and gotten dressed, they were running late.

"Ahh…she just left," Zoe frowned. "Taylor and I are going to catch a cab over…Lena went to pick up Dana and Stewart."

"Dammit," Stef mumbled. She really didn't want to burst into the party with things still uneven with Lena. This was why she had planned to see her at the apartment before heading to the party. Stef had no idea what she had told her parents, sister or even Zoe and now everything was all murky.

"Ahhh…" Brandon covered his mouth at the curse word and Zoe couldn't help but laugh. Brandon smiled at her being entertained and came closer to Zoe.

"You are adorable," she complimented him. He was wearing a tiny pair of black slacks and an orange and black dress shirt.

"Thank you," Taylor said coming from down the hall. "Oh, you weren't talking to me," she shrugged noticing Stef and Brandon. "You just missed Lena," she said fastening her light blue suspenders onto her white pants. She had a blue tank top underneath and her curls pulled back out of her face. She appeared to be no older than eighteen, but something about her was starkly sexy. "You must be Brandon," she said to the little boy. He waved and smiled.

"Was she angry when she left?" Stef decided to ask for good measure.

"At me for being late," Taylor disclosed while applying light pink lip gloss. "Did you call for a cab?" she turned her attention to Zoe.

"I didn't get a chance," Zoe answered not taking her eyes off of Brandon.

"Don't worry about it," Stef offered, "you can ride with us…" an extra buffer couldn't hurt.

"I'll grab my bag and then I'll be ready," Zoe said heading back to the bedroom.

"She must be angry with you," Taylor commented once they were all in Stef's car.

Stef looked over at her tightly, not wanting to say too much. "What did she tell you?"

Taylor made herself comfortable in the passenger seat, while Brandon showed Zoe his toys in the backseat. "Nothing…but I was in the car when I ushered my parents pass you two; and if she wasn't pissed, you would have gone straight to the restaurant, you wouldn't be trying to make sure everything was okay."

Stef bit down on her lower lip nervously. "Is it that obvious?"

Taylor pulled her sunglasses from her handbag and leaned back. "No…I'm just that smart," the girl smiled. "You'll be fine…Lena forgives easily." Taylor took a moment to look into the backseat. Zoe and Brandon seemed to hit it off a lot quicker than Taylor wished. She turned back to Stef and wiped the entertaining smugness off of her face. "Yeah, you'll be fine with Lena…" she restated. However, seeing how well Zoe took to kids, she realized her mom was spot on, and for the first time since she had gotten married; Taylor wasn't sure SHE was going to be alright.


	6. Chapter 6

It's My Party…

"Well, she's late…" Dana commented, "I'm almost beginning to suspect that your girlfriend doesn't want to meet us."

Lena took an exacting look at her mother, but digested the need to set her mother straight. It wasn't horrible enough that she had possibly lost Stef, but the self-satisfied grin on her mother's face was unbearable. What was even worse is that Lena didn't think her mother meant to be unpleasant; she was just cursed with high standards and two daughters that regrettably met those standards on most occasions. This caused their mother to move the bar constantly, and Lena knew for a fact that there was nothing more frustrated than shooting at a moving target, metaphorically speaking. Sometime, well most of the time, Lena wished she approached her mother's criticisms as Taylor did; with the constant refusal to even see the moving target. Until Taylor had actually gave her dream away to attend Harvard, their mother had been batting a huge 0% in the "controlling Taylor games." And truth be told, Lena figured that her father had more to do with Taylor attending Harvard than Dana had. It was his alma mater and although Taylor would never admit as much, she had a soft spot for tradition, legacy and above all, FAMILY. "I can be a musician the rest of my life, right?" she had asked Lena when the acceptance letter was received from Harvard.

Lena knew that she didn't have the fortitude to be like Taylor, though. She could never get married behind her parents back, or learn to play the bass when she was supposed to be at violin lessons. She was the steady one; the eldest, the responsible one, and in this role she was secure. Damn the need for security, Lena frowned. Her mother was still walling in the warmth of her last comment; the fact that she had wittingly hit the nail on the head, because it was very likely Stef wouldn't be meeting her parents.

"These are the risks of having a child," Dana continued. "You never get to be on time…" Lena flinched, not because the words were harsh, but they carefully disguised Dana's current number one compliant about Stef. She already had a child, which meant that in Dana Adams' mind she was bisexual. She could tolerate her daughters loving women, but bisexuals were trouble in her mind.

"Being late is a risk of having children, Mom?" Lena challenged. She didn't want to be combative, but oh how difficult did her mother make it not to be.

"Lena Elizabeth," her mother whispered, "you know what I mean."

"What do you mean about what?" Stewart interjected.

"Why Lena goes out of her way to choose women who aren't right for her," Dana answered.

"Dana, sweetheart, we've had this discussion. You haven't even met this woman," Stewart whispered as if Lean wasn't standing there also.

"I'm just saying, she has a child…"

"And that is not the end of the world. Lena is thirty, she can make her own decisions."

"Yes, I can make my own decisions," Lena agreed. "And I happen to make great decisions!" The room was beginning to fill with friends and colleagues, but Taylor and Zoe still weren't there. "I'm going to mingle…" she stepped around her parents. This was going to be an extremely long night with no real chance of an upswing it seemed. She had been too quick to dismiss Stef. How could she actually understand what Stef was going through with Mike?

Almost immediately Lena felt the need to find her phone and call to apologize. She didn't care what it took, she wanted to, no needed to be with Stef. Something as small as Brandon not being able to make it to her birthday party wasn't enough to keep her feelings for Stef at bay. She cut through the crowd that was now forming in the room in search for her handbag, but before she made it to her bag, she saw him.

"Ms. Lena!" Brandon exclaimed happily.

Lena raised her eyes to the Stef, who gently held the little boy's shoulders to stop him from taking off towards Lena. Stef had to wait, to see that Lena was happy to see them, or she wouldn't be able to take it. Please, just smile at me, Stef's mind kept screaming out. After a moment of holding her breath, she saw the smile that she knew would change everything forever.

* * *

"Why don't you come with me, and we'll look at the ocean," Zoe offered her hand out to Brandon. The little boy looked back at his mother, who nodded her approval. He had ran to Ms. Lena and leapt into her arms, excited at the fact that he got to come to her birthday party. But Zoe, sensing that Lena and Stef wanted to be alone, decided to take Brandon out on the patio. When they were a bit more alone, Stef hugged Lena tightly.

"I thought you wouldn't be happy to see me," she admitted in a whisper in Lena's ear. "I'm so sorry about earlier.

"I should be sorry about earlier," Lena couldn't help the soft tears escaping her eyes right then. She was happy, excited even that Stef had shown up. "I just want to be with you, Stefanie Foster."

Stef kissed the side of Lena's mouth gently. "Nothing has ever made me happier than hearing that. I told Mike that you and Brandon were all I wanted or needed in this world and he wasn't going to stand in the way of that. I love you so much, Lena." Stef took a step back and took in Lena's outfit. She loved the fact that her heart fluttered a little bit every time she saw Lena. "You look amazing."

"So do you," Lena smiled at the loose dark blue dress that adorned Stef's body. Her blonde hair was curl and swung towards her shoulders and her legs looked amazing in the heels she wore.

"I'm figuring the two people looking through the crowd at us are your parents?" Stef questioned slowly watching Dana and Stewart Adams making their way towards them. Lena let go of Stef and stood hip to hip with her.

"Mom, Dad, this is Stefanie Foster, and outside with Zoe is her son, Brandon," Lena announced proudly. Both Stewart and Dana smiled warmly at the woman.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Stewart extended his hand.

"Yes, we thought you wouldn't make it…being late and all."

Thankfully, the wait staff began setting out appetizer trays before Dana could go any further. "Taylor Marie, get away from those oysters, you are practically allergic!" she yelled to her youngest daughter across the room. "Excuse me," she said to Stef. Taylor trying to suck down oysters was far more interesting than Stef and Lena right now.

"Well, I think I'll go outside to meet Brandon and see how Zoe is doing," Stewart nodded. "It's wonderful meeting you, Stef. I look forward to talking to you later." He excused himself also.

"Well, I guess we should mingle a bit until the plate courses are served. You can meet some of my colleagues and old friends," Lena really didn't want to mingle. She wanted to stare at Stef and hold Stef and just engulf herself in Stef for the rest of the evening, but she had to be at least a decent host.

Stef kissed her cheek, "Yes, let's meet your friends," Stef threaded her fingers with Lena and allowed her to lead the way.

* * *

Rashida Kent had been Lena's best friend since grade school. They had been in all the same classes all the way through high school and when they applied for college, they both ended up there together. It was no surprise that Rashida had made special plans to fly in from London just to attend Lena's birthday party. Of course, she was the first stop on Stef's tour of Lena's friends. Rashida had just entered the room and placed her gift on the table when Lena and Stef approached her.

"I can't believe you really flew in," Lena bear-hugged her best friend.

"I had to rearrange some of my schedule, but…" Rashida smiled exposing her perfect dimples. Rashida was an engineer, who had recently moved from LA to London for her job.

"This is Stefanie," Lena introduced the two shyly. Although she hated to admit it, Rashida's opinion meant a lot to her. Besides her parents, Lena was most worried about Rashida liking Stef. Her best friend, like her mother, was very exacting and it was sometimes hell to live up to her expectation also.

Rashida took slow stock of the woman in front of her and finally smiled. "I've heard so much about you," she said finally.

"And I you," Stef returned the smile.

"Where is your son…Brandon isn't it?" Rashida questioned looking around for a kid.

"Oh, he's actually outside with Taylor's wife, Zoe," Stef turned looking outside towards the beach. She could see Zoe and Brandon outside on the sidewalk where the sand met the concrete. They were heading back in to get ready for dinner.

"I'm sorry, did you say Taylor's wife?" Rashida shook her head incredulously. She couldn't have heard Stef correctly; there was no way Taylor Marie Adams had a wife.

"Yes, that was one of my birthday surprises, I suppose," Lena laughed leading both Stef and Rashida to the appetizer table.

"How did she get married, Lena?" Rashida was still confused.

"They live in Massachusetts and are over 18," Lena reminded her friend.

"Barely over 18…" It unnerved Rashida that Taylor was married, but Stef was almost positive she was the only one that noticed.

"I don't know Taylor well, but it looks like she does whatever she wants…" Stef comment.

Rashida rolled her eyes and picked up a small plate and filled with spring rolls and strawberries. "What did your mother have to say about Taylor's nuptials?"

"You know how my mom is…" Lena began, but stopped short of saying more. Dana approached the table.

"Rashida, you look beautiful!" Dana gushed. "London is really doing wonders for you!"

"Hello Dana," Rashida managed. Her mind was still far more preoccupied about the fact that twenty year old, Taylor was married. "You look beautiful yourself."

"Well, if my daughters weren't trying to fill my face with worry lines, I would be a lot more beautiful," she said looking at Lena.

"Yes, I heard that you are a mother-in-law now," Rashida knew Dana Adams well enough to know that this was poking the bear.

"Excuse me, I think I'm going to get Brandon…" Stef excused herself politely. For some reason, she felt like this conversation could lead nowhere good.

"Well, my daughter enjoys surprising me," Dana replied. The snark in her tone wasn't lost on either Lena or Rashida. "Out of respect for the poor girl, I'll keep my opinions to myself, but Taylor has never been much on commitment or responsibility. I believe I was too gentle on her growing up."

"Really…could have fooled me," Lena said under her breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that Lena?" Dana questioned quickly.

Rashida had to conceal her smile. "She goes to Harvard, Dana, what more did you want?"

Dana smiled deviously, "Just the best for her. You two will have to excuse me, Stewart is beaconing me over."

As Dana walked away, Rashida said a quick prayer thanking the heavens that Dana wasn't her mother. She loved Dana, but the constant meddling and opinions would have driven her crazy for sure. She turned to Lena and shook her head. "Dana hasn't changed since I left."

"You've only been gone eight months? The type of change my mom needs would take years," Lena laughed. "I'm so glad you made it though, I know it's not easy for you to fly back and forth."

"It was no problem… you didn't tell me Taylor was coming though," Rashida mentioned as nonchalantly as possible.

"I never trust Taylor when she says she's going to do something, so I guess it sort of skipped my mind," Lena shrugged. "But she was motived to come and show off Zoe. You know, she kept her marriage secret for nearly five months?"

"So they got married in November?" Rashida asked curiously.

"Beginning of December I think." Rashida had never been this interested in the life of Taylor before, but Lena shrugged it off. "Do you want to meet Zoe?"

Rashida thought about it for a moment… "No, I think I'll pass right now." Rashida picked up a glass of wine from a waiter that was circulating around the room. She drained the wine in one long gulp. This was going to be an interesting birthday party, she decided to herself and she had a strange feeling that her showing up was going to make it a lot more interesting for Taylor.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! First let me say thanks for all the comments and reviews; I love them! Please keep letting me know how you all feel! I just wanted to give a heads up; this chapter starts at the party, but then contains two flashbacks about Taylor's relationship with Rashida, and then one of her early relationship with Zoe. Enjoy!**

Flashbacks

"Switch entrees with me," Zoe cooed cozying up to her wife as she stood at the double doors leading back inside to the dining hall. "I don't think I want fish now…not even delicious Mahi Mahi. Taylor was only half listening, her eyes fixed on the woman who had entered the party moments before. "Baby, are you listening?" Zoe asked impatiently.

Taylor looked to her right and at her wife. "Sure you can have my entrée," Taylor agreed. Noticing the frown on Zoe's face, Taylor leaned over and kissed her wife. "What's the matter?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," her frown remained. "You've been aloof, for lack of a better word, since your parents came…"

"Babe, my mom just gets under my skin sometimes," Taylor dismissed the accusation. It would have been easier to say that she had to figure some stuff out, but Taylor knew better than to say that to Zoe. She would automatically assumed this meant something terrible for their relationship and that wasn't the case. Taylor had to figure out how to support her family, and Zoe was her family now; this was on her, but nothing for Zoe to worry about. "Everything is fine, I promise," Taylor smiled although her stomach dropped another two inches as Lena and Stef approached her and Zoe.

"It's almost time for dinner," Lena beamed. It wasn't often that Taylor saw her sister, but she had never in her memory, seen Lena this happy. The fact that Stef was beside her and Brandon was trailing behind them really sparked happiness in Lena. Taylor couldn't help but smile too.

"Yeah, I'm starving," Taylor admitted. Her appetizer run had been stomped out by their mother so Taylor's stomach was now growling uncontrollably. She looked pass her sister and saw Rashida mingling with a few people on the other side of the room.

"Zoe…will you sit with me at dinner?" Brandon moved in front of his mother and Lena and smiled innocently at Zoe. The girl couldn't help but grin as she offered her hand to the little boy.

"Let's go pick somewhere good," she chuckled, allowing Brandon to lead her to the largest table near the front of the room.

"He likes her a lot," Stef grinned. "He keeps talking about Zoe this…Zoe that…I can't believe they just met a couple of hours ago. She's really good with kids."

Taylor said nothing partially because she didn't hear much of what Stef was saying. "You didn't tell me Rashida was coming…" she tried to sound nonchalant, but a sliver of annoyance had crept into her voice. "I mean, she flew all the way from London for one night?"

"I'm her best friend, it's worth it…" Lena stuck her tongue out at her little sister. "How about you and Rashida be nice to each other for a change?"

Taylor rolled her neck feeling it crack. "I'm going to get a drink before dinner…" and this day gets any worse, she said to herself.

"You don't drink…and you're twenty," Lena reminded her sister.

"Oooh… thanks for the reminder, but I think I can handle getting myself a drink," Taylor slide pass her sister and Stef and headed towards the bar. She wasn't a drinker, and she was under twenty-one, so she was relegated to a simple club soda. She looked down at her watch and sighed, dinner would be served in ten minutes and she would be surrounded by her sister, her parents and Rashida…oh and her new wife, who was probably planning the number of kids they would have, as she spoke.

"Taylor Adams," Rashida said leaning her back against the bar and looking out towards the room. "You look amazing," she almost whispered. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Taylor grit her teeth in frustration; the reaction that Rashida expected. "How is Harvard?"

"That's the question you ask?" Taylor laughed with no real humor. The gall of Rashida was amazing.

"Would you prefer me ask, what the hell you were doing getting married?" Rashida questioned turning to face Taylor now. "Or was that to just spit in my face?"

"How arrogant," Taylor rolled her eyes. "I love my wife…deeply. Zoe and my marriage have nothing to do with you."

"Really because less than a year ago, you and I were…"

"Reminding ourselves how to count and listing all of the reasons we should stay away from each other. Oh and sneaking out of hotel rooms in the middle of the night…or at least one of us was," Taylor spat out quickly. "Stay away from me, Rashida…as a courtesy, okay?" Taylor took her club soda and joined her wife at the table with Brandon. She had way too many things on her mind to dwell on Rashida Kent.

"Who was that?" Zoe asked only halfway paying attention. She and Brandon were playing ISpy.

"Rashida is here…Taylor mumbled, not wanting to meet her wife's eyes.

Zoe waited until Taylor looked at her. She needed to know if the anger in Taylor's voice was from the fact that Rashida had showed up or that Taylor actually missed her. She knew more about Taylor and Rashida's relationship than she actually wanted to know, but it was her own fault. She had asked, and unfortunately Taylor had told her the truth. Most of the time, the truth hurt and now Zoe was afraid it was going to crush her.

"I have some business to finish in Boston and then I'm flying in to San Diego for at least the weekend," Rashida said into her cell phone trying to suppress the desire to scream. She was on the phone with her best friend, Lena, and she was lying on her hotel room bed watching Lena's little sister make playful nips with her teeth on her ribcage. "So I'll see you Friday night…" she closed her eyes to the sensation that ran down her back, "and we'll have the entire weekend before I head back up to LA on Monday morning." Rashida pushed Taylor away and swatted at the girl, who now lay on her back and muffled her laughter. "Bye, Lena, I'll see you soon." She pressed END and tossed the cell phone back onto the nightstand. "You are incorrigible," she sighed turning onto her back.

"You are encouraging," Taylor moaned taking Rashida's earlobe into her mouth.

"Do you even know what incorrigible means, Taylor?" Rashida questioned, watching the girl slowly hover over her. It was wrong to even want Taylor Adams, even worse was the fact that she had been seeing her for nearly a year and a half now, secretly. It wasn't like they maintained a prolonged relationship; they lived on separate coasts now that Taylor attended Harvard, but whenever Rashida was in Boston, she and Taylor met up, which always resulted in the same thing.

Taylor recoiled from the question. "A lack of age doesn't signify a lack of vocabulary, Rashida," she rolled her eyes. The mood was gone for her now; the constant attacks on her age and life experience took a bit of wind out of her sails. She plopped back on the bed beside Rashida and clicked on the television.

Rashida frowned, "Aww…baby you are way too sensitive," she pouted. "I was just playing with you," she assured Taylor. "I know that you are smart, and funny and oh so gorgeous," she purred.

"Yeah, but only nineteen right?" Taylor said sitting up. She searched the floor for her tee shirt and found it thrown in the corner. Rashida touched her back gently, but she jerked away. "We've done this for over a year and I'm sick of it…"

"Sick of what, Taylor?" Rashida huffed. She took a deep breath and covered her eyes, trying to figure out what the hell she was doing. She liked Taylor way more than she should have…the kid was only nineteen, eighteen when they had started this ill-fated affair, and her best friend's little sister. Rashida was ten years Taylor's senior and had watched the kid grow up, there was no reason in the world they should be sleeping with one another. Yet, inexplicable it had happened and Rashida was more than a little embarrassed to admit that she liked being with Taylor. It went without saying that the sex was amazing, but Rashida also loved just being with Taylor.

"I'm sick of being your little secret," Taylor began. They had done this song and dance more than once in the past eighteen months. Taylor would fight for transparency, Rashida would fight for sanity and they would agree to disagree and end up spending a weekend in bed with room service.

"Taylor, you are not my little secret…"

"You are afraid of Lena," Taylor rolled her eyes in disgust. "Do you always cower in her perfect presence…" it was meant to be hurtful.

"I respect my best friend and doubt she would understand me sleeping with her little sister," Rashida let the insult roll off of her back. She didn't want to fight with Taylor. "And it's not just your sister, what about your parents? They welcome me into their home…"

"And I welcome you into my bed…" Taylor retorted.

"You are not that naïve Taylor," Rashida sat up in the bed and leaned against the headboard. "Sweetheart, I like you a lot," Rashida managed to gently pull Taylor close to her. "And we have a great time when we are together," she tongue kissed Taylor, knowing that it weakened her defense immensely. "Let's not ruin tonight…please. We'll go out tomorrow morning and really talk about this okay?" She kissed the girl again and felt Taylor's defenses melt. Although Taylor was intelligent and witty beyond her years, she was a nineteen year old and sex talked to her better than anything else. So she settled into the same rhythm she and Rashida had always shared…only this time when she woke up the next morning, Rashida was gone…for good.

Zoe tried to stifle her yawn, not wanting Taylor to see that she was exhausted beyond belief. She had worked all morning, and then she and Taylor met with her parents and two of her siblings that happened to be in town. It was the first time Taylor had met Zoe's parents and it had gone amazingly well. Zoe and Taylor had been dating for four months and Zoe's parents wanted to meet the girl their daughter couldn't stop gushing about. They could actually understand why for once. Taylor was beautiful, smart, funny and seemed to genuinely adore Zoe. They were happy for their daughter, and Zoe's mother had even told her as much. Her mother never approved of any of the girls she had dated in the past; saying that most of them were nowhere near good enough for her daughter, but Taylor was different.

Zoe couldn't stop her third yawn in a row and Taylor noticed. "Do you want me to go?" she asked tenderly moving a piece of Zoe's hair out of her eyes. "I don't want to keep you awake." They were sprawled out on either end of the couch finishing up some movie that was on cable TV.

"No, it's Friday, I'm not going to bed yet," Zoe assured her. However, she did sat up and place her feet on the ground, hoping that being upright would increase her chances of staying awake.

"We should have watched something scary," Taylor laughed. "Romantic comedies get on my nerves."

"Yeah, I wouldn't have been able to sleep if we had watched something scary," Zoe reminded her. "It's scary here alone…" she allowed her words to trail off. She didn't want to bring it to Taylor's attention that they had yet to spend the night together. It had been four months and Zoe somewhat enjoyed the chaste aspect of their relationship. Nothing was forced and Taylor wasn't just with her for a quick hook-up, they genuinely enjoyed each other's company and Zoe loved that. However, she figured that it was driving Taylor mad, especially a girl who had a reputation of moving from girl to girl quickly.

"I would have stayed here on the couch," Taylor smiled. "Nothing would get you…" she sat up and stretched. She leaned back and changed the television channel.

"Taylor, can I ask you a serious question?"

"You can ask me anything," Taylor now yawned herself.

"What are we doing? Are we like, exclusive?"

"Did you ever think we weren't?" Taylor questioned. "I just met a good chunk of your family; we are pretty exclusive."

"So you aren't seeing other women?" Zoe asked shyly. She almost didn't want to know the answer. If the answer was yes, she would be crushed, but if the answer was no, Zoe somehow felt that she was on a countdown clock until Taylor became bored with her.

Taylor looked at her thoughtfully. "I haven't been for the last three months," she answered honestly.

"And before that you were seeing someone else?"

"When we first started hanging out, I was still seeing someone from LA every now and then. But nothing continuously. It doesn't make it sound any better, but it's the truth." Zoe leaned her head back against the soft couch cushion. "What about you?" Taylor questioned after a while. Zoe shook her head no.

"Thanks for being honest," Zoe said after a while.

"I will never lie to you, Zoe," it was a promise that Taylor intended on keeping.

Zoe couldn't help but let curiosity take over a bit. "Who was she?" Taylor's eyes searched Zoe's for a long second. "The woman that you were seeing when we first started talking.

Taylor covered a yawn with the back of her hand. "Her name was Rashida Kent and she was magically unattainable and is my sister's best friend. And to make sure my sister and parents didn't know that we had a thing, she got up and left me in a hotel room."

"Hmm…tied to the bed?" Zoe teased. She laughed, feeling confident that Rashida was not going to be an issue. "Well, it is definitely her loss, right?"

"Yes, I am definitely a catch," Taylor nodded, pulling Zoe towards her.

"I think so," Zoe murmured resting her head on Taylor's chest and closing her eyes. "I definitely think so."


	8. Chapter 8

That Could Have Gone Better

"I wanted to spend the night with you tonight," Stef admitted in a passionate whisper. Lena concealed her smile as they headed to the dinner table. "But I have Brandon now and he doesn't understand yet…"

"Baby, you don't have to apologize," Lena gave Stef a quick kiss. "I'm just so happy you are here, and my family hasn't scared you away." Lena was still surprised that her parents and sister had reserved the crazy at least for one day so that her birthday party was nice. Besides Taylor's surprise marriage news, everything was going quite pleasantly.

"Sweetheart, they are great," Stef assured Lena. "I do have one question though."

"Okay, shoot…" Lena gave the go-ahead.

"I don't want you to get angry, but what is it between Taylor and Rashida?" Stef whispered. She had just passed Rashida and her eyes were fixed on Taylor and Zoe, who were playing with Brandon.

"What do you mean?" Lena questioned. She had always thought of Rashida and Taylor's relationship as one of two sisters, because she considered Rashida her sister.

"I don't know," Stef wasn't sure herself. "I'm just feeling some tension…like they have history."

"They do," Lena laughed. "Taylor grew up with Rashida. They've always liked to argue." Stef took a seat beside her son and watched him laugh at something Zoe was saying.

"I'm starving," Lena commented.

"Me too…but I think we need to skip dinner and just cut your birthday cake," Zoe tickled Brandon.

"Yeah, let's just eat cake!" Brandon exclaimed.

"How about some dinner first buddy, and then we'll have cake," Stef suggested.

"What are you having Zoe?" Brandon asked.

"I don't know," Zoe teased. "I may just have to share yours…"

"You can share my fries," Brandon promised.

"Rashida, you are sitting over here," Lena beckoned to her friend. Stef watched Taylor shift uncomfortably and the smile slip a bit from Zoe's face. There was definitely something going on here and Stef was afraid she was the only one that noticed.

"I was going to sit with Ralph and Jessica," Rashida said referring to some of their old friends. "You need to just enjoy your family." She tried to be gracious, mainly because she didn't want to meet or have to talk to Taylor's wife.

"Nonsense," Lena said pushing back the seat beside her and directly in front of Taylor. "You are family, Rashida." The quiet that fell onto the table was only interrupted by Dana and Stewart taking their seats at the table and the large sigh that Taylor made as she realized her ring of hell was sealed.

"Well, this is uncomfortable," Dana cleared her throat to break the silence of the table. "What is the matter with everyone?" she looked around the table and her eyes landed on Zoe. "Zoe, what do you do again?"

"Right now I am interning at a product design company," Zoe answered.

"What type of products?" Rashida decided to follow up.

"Oh…well, there are various projects. I just finished working on a few medical devices."

"So you attended Harvard too?" Rashida continued.

"Yes, I graduated last year with a concentration in engineering sciences. Taylor told me you are an engineer too…" There it was, the dagger that said, 'yes, I know about you and Taylor's fling and I'm not at all worried about it.' Zoe could see Rashida shrink a bit, her eyes darting from Taylor's back to Zoe. Their relationship was supposed to have been a secret, but what Rashida needed to realize was there were no secrets between Zoe and her wife.

Dana, ignoring the tension at the table, set her sights on Stef now. "Stefanie, what do you do for a living?" she questioned. She couldn't believe Lena had never told her, but hell, Taylor hadn't even told her that she was married!

"Mommy is a cop!" Brandon chirped in. Lena swallowed hard, wishing that this was more of a private moment, because the look on Dana's face said it all.

"A police officer?" Dana uttered in disbelief. "As in someone who carries a gun and shoots people?"

Lena thanked heavens that waiters were now serving dinner. "This looks delicious," Lena said trying to steer the conversation away from the previous topic. She shot her sister a look, pleading with her brown eyes for help.

Taylor looked down at her Mahi and frowned; she would have preferred the petite filet she had ordered, but shrugged. "Yeah, this looks wonderful," she lied faking off a piece of fish.

"So you chase down people and shoot them?" Dana reiterated, cutting into her steak.

"Honey," Stewart shook his head, "let it go," he mumbled.

"No, Stewart; I think it would have been important to know that our daughter is …"

"Mom…" Lena broke in. If Dana hadn't realized it, Brandon was at the table listening to EVERYTHING, and if Dana wasn't careful she would release information he didn't need right now. "Can we just talk about something else?" She shot a glance over to Brandon, who was a little more concerned with his fries than the conversation that was going on between the adults. Dana pursed her lips together tightly, wanting to address the issue, but understanding the presences of Brandon, decided to let it drop, for now.

"So Taylor are you excited about graduation next month?" Lena questioned. "I'm thinking of flying out on Thursday so we can all hang out for an extra day..."

Taylor took a forkful of her food and shook her head, "No need to; I don't think I want to go to graduation. I just want my diploma and to find a job and work..."

"Babe," Zoe gasped. She didn't know what she was more surprised about, the fact that Taylor was now not excited about her graduation or the fact that she would be looking for a job. They had discussed Zoe supporting them while Taylor went to graduate school; and they had also discussed how her family was coming to Boston to see her graduate next month. Taylor's new attitude totally blindsided Zoe.

Dana looked at her daughter with measured horror. A job! Taylor was not supposed to be looking for a job, but instead, reevaluating her relationship with Zoe. She was supposed to be taking the easy bait of dissolving into childhood and doing what Dana wanted her to do! "What do you mean?" Dana questioned hoarsely.

"Yes, what do you mean?" Lena questioned also. This didn't sound like her little sister at all.

"I'm an adult…adults get jobs," Taylor stated firmly.

"I thought you were applying to grad school," her father said calmly. "We discussed it and everything; with your mathematics degree a lot of possibilities can be open to you. You just need to continue your education."

"Or, I could get a job and help support my family like all adults do," Taylor said again. She didn't mean to get snotty with her father, because it was really her mother who had started this snowball heading downhill.

"You can do that after you get your graduate degree," Stewart was becoming upset. Taylor was smart and she could get a job now, but he needed her to follow through with something. She had perfect grades, and she was bright and talent; she could get into graduate school and excel there. Why was she always determined to run from everything? It was so frustrating most of the time. "Lena got her degree…"

"Oh, and of course I have to do whatever Lena does…" Taylor could feel the anger rise on the back of her neck. For her mother, everything was about control, but for her father, everything was about Lena and how Lena would do it!

"He doesn't mean any harm," Lena spoke up. "Dad just wants the best for you."

"Stay out of it Lena," Taylor spat turning to look at her sister for a moment. "It's hard enough living in your shadow without hearing your commentary."

"Don't talk to your sister like that," Dana warned. "She didn't go out and make a mess of her life by getting secretly married."

"Oh…and there it is…you think my marriage is a mess?" Taylor nodded her head in confirmation of being right about her mother. It had taken her mother some time, but she had finally gotten there! To the place where she hated the fact that she no longer had control of Taylor.

"Of course it's a mess Taylor! You can barely take care of yourself, and then out of nowhere you bring a wife home. A wife that you didn't tell anyone about, because you know it's just insanity. You are twenty and haven't even graduated! You didn't tell anyone because you were afraid someone would talk some sense into you! Not to mention you only act out like this when you are running from something."

Zoe had tried diligently to ignore what was being said at the table, but she couldn't ignore that. She pushed her seat back abruptly and stood, "Excuse me," she was able to hold back tears until she was away from the table.

"Zoe, wait," Taylor begged standing up too.

"Mom!" Lena exclaimed horrified.

"What Lena, we both know your sister is hiding the REAL problem here," Dana said eerily calm. She could honestly say that this didn't bother her one bit, because it needed to be addressed.

"What…the real problem… that after being jerked around by a soulless bitch, I found someone who is perfect for me," she looked squarely at Rashida. Rashida knew that if there was a choice between this second and death, would have choose death. All eyes at the table scattered to her.

"What…" Lena inquired, not really wanting to confront the implication that Taylor was making.

"Rashida and I used to be together," Taylor hissed in an ire latent tone. "And after she screwed me around for over a year…"

"Rashida is not even gay," Lena sputtered, not understanding what was being said.

"Well, she was pretty gay with me," Taylor said ignoring the double meaning of the statement. Rashida covered her face with her hand, praying that the burning gaze of the people at the table would stop. She felt like an ant and Taylor was a mean kid with a magnifying glass. Taylor turned and headed after her wife.

Before anyone could properly react to the information bomb Taylor shared, everyone's eyes was diverted to a commotion near the front entrance. It was a horrible coincidence that at the moment Lena's three tier birthday cake was being brought out by a waitress, that Mike Foster entered the room. "Where is my wife!" he screamed, his words slurred together. "Where is my son!" he questioned flinging his arms in the air and bumping the girl with the cake. The top tier of the cake launched forward and flew across the room; startling everyone and silencing the crowd.

"Stefanie!" Mike yelled again. He stumbled forward and stopped to catch his balance. He was trying to find her in the room, but his vision was a bit blurry.

Brandon looked back and forth between his mother and his father in the corner of the room. He was scared but didn't know why. He could see that something was wrong with his daddy, but at the same time, his mother looked as if she was caught between blowing up in anger and just melting in a pool of tears. "Mommy," he said softly. But Stef didn't answer, just looked at Mike in disbelief. It was honestly too much for her to even comprehend the kind of idiocy it would take for him to show up at Lena's birthday party to start trouble.

She made a move to stand, but Stewart Adams beat her to the punch. He noticed the terror in woman's eyes and made a move around the waitresses, who were now cleaning up the cake on the floor, and towards the unruly man standing near the door. "May I help you?" Stewart questioned in a harsh whisper.

"I want my wife, and I want my son!" Mike forced out through gritted teeth. The smell of beer and whiskey was strong on him and Stewart wondered how he had gotten there.

"Did you drive here, son?" Stewart questioned. All eyes were fixed on them so Stewart had to be careful to diffuse the situation and not make it worse. Mike stared at him for a moment but eventually shook his head. "Good…did you take a cab?" Mike wasn't completely sure how he had gotten there. "Come on, let's get some coffee in you," Stewart said calmly. The room was beginning to spin, so Mike couldn't fight it. He was lead to the patio by Stewart and sat on a chair until everything stopped spinning.

"MARRIED with children, huh, Stef?" Dana shook her head in disgust. "You girls are really making me proud," she said looking from Lena to Rashida, who was still hiding her face. Dana stood and walked towards the patio to get a better look at Lena's girlfriend's husband and to try to figure out where in the hell had she gone wrong with raising her daughters.

* * *

It was barely even seven thirty and the crowd for Lena's party had significantly thinned once the cake tumbled to the ground. There were a few people who were still scattered around the room, but Zoe and Taylor had disappeared onto the beach and Mike had fallen asleep on the patio. Stewart had done a great job of defusing the situation and Mike's little outburst had only cost Lena her 30th birthday cake, and Stef her stellar first impression with the Adams.

"She's married?" Dana repeated again like a sick mantra. She couldn't get over this fact and although she almost expected this type of bad decision making from Taylor, she couldn't understand it from her Lena. "What are you thinking, Lena?"

Lena's eyes filled with water as the bartender pulled her a white wine. She had said goodbye to most of her guests and now she was left with her mother and Rashida. Although for the first time ever she wanted to punch Rashida in the face, Lena was glad that she was still there.

"And you…" Dana turned to Rashida. "Sleeping with Taylor!" she didn't know whether she was disgusted by the fact that Rashida was like a daughter to her, or the fact that Taylor was ten years younger than her. Either way, it all felt so … so… insidious.

"Listen, I didn't mean to disrespect Taylor or the family. I love all of you…but ultimately, Taylor and I had a different type of connection," Rashida admitted slowly.

"Ugh, she's twenty," Lena chimed in on Rashida's new found insanity.

"And Stef is married," Rashida pointed out quickly. Almost a bit too quickly because Lena buried her face in her hands and began crying uncontrollably. "Lena, I'm sorry…" Rashida apologized.

"So you've been dating someone that is still married for four months?" Dana went on. Tears didn't impress her; the fact that her daughter was dating a married woman confused and frightened her. If after only four months, Lena was this wrapped up in Stef, it could only get worse.

"Mom, I love Stef," Lena said hiccupping a bit from her crying. "Just like Taylor loves Zoe! You are going to have to respect our decisions!"

"Taylor doesn't love Zoe…she is acting out because Rashida moved to London most likely!" Dana said with certainty.

"If Taylor was caught up on Rashida, she would have just moved to London to follow her. But no, instead she married someone, protected her from your craziness and is now going to sacrifice her own future to make Zoe happy! If that's not love, then what is mom?" Having the situation put like that, both Dana and Rashida had to digest some truths about Zoe and Taylor's marriage.

"Well at least you see what to look forward to…you can now leave Stef alone because who in her right mind would want to put up with their girlfriend's insane husband?"

Lena burrowed her head in her hands again because ultimately, she knew she'd do anything to be with Stef.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone, sorry this update took so long; work has been a monster for the last couple of weeks. I would just like to say again, all comments are appreciated and thanks to everyone that enjoys reading my work! Please enjoy!**

Wrecking Ball

Dana always knew, even in the back of her mind, that handling Taylor would be a hell of a lot easier than handling Lena in the long run. This was why she was out on the patio with a completely drunk Mike, looking out onto the beach where Taylor and Zoe stood. Zoe was a nice girl, and it was a shame that Taylor was the wrong person for her. Dana looked over as Mike began to cough; she knew what would happen next so she proceeded to head down onto the beach with her daughter and new "daughter-in-law."

"Did you come to put the final nail in my marriage's coffin?" Taylor asked gritting down on her back teeth. She had finally gotten Zoe calm enough to actually listen to her, she didn't need Dana Adam's help into throwing her marriage back over the fire! "Mom, please just go…" Zoe placed her hand gently on Taylor's arm. She was angry; angry that her mother-in-law obviously hated her, but she was still going to try to be respectful.

"You would like to blame this on me, Taylor Marie, but …"

"But nothing mom," Taylor huffed. "You were gunning for us as soon as you heard we were married. I love Zoe! Why can't you accept that?"

"Because it doesn't make sense!" Dana countered. She looked from her daughter to Zoe and back again. "Zoe, you seem to be a wonderful girl, but my daughter is destined for bigger things than getting married and …"

"Stop right there mom!" Taylor yelled. "What is the matter with you? Why are you so intent on destroying something you know nothing about?"

"Babe…" Zoe began, but no more words came. She had tried to be understanding, tried to think how her parents would have reacted if she would have brought home Taylor after they were married, but this was different. Dana thought that she wasn't good enough for Taylor and that was infuriating.

"No, Zoe," Taylor could feel her temper rise even more. "Here's the really pathetic thing about this…I wanted to tell you from the beginning. I wanted to be able to call you and dad and Lena and say, 'hey, I met this great girl and I'm in love with her!' but I couldn't! I couldn't tell Lena and Dad because they would tell you and I couldn't tell you because of this! Because of this judgment and idiotic idea that you know what's best for me. I'm an adult, a young adult yes, but a grown woman, nevertheless."

"I do know what's best for you, Taylor!" Dana gritted out in frustration. "You don't even have an income…you are just graduating and I refuse to support the two of you."

"Excuse me," Zoe said firmly, "I don't need you to support me or my wife…"

"Well, that's funny because I send my 'responsible married' daughter a check every month, which I'm sure helps provide for you two! But if you two must, go at it alone…with no help and when you fall dead on your face, don't run to me."

"We wouldn't dream of it," Taylor said as Dana turned and headed back to the restaurant.

"Why is she so damn terrible!" Taylor wiped tears of frustration away from her eyes. "It was a mistake to come, wasn't it?"

Zoe took her wife's hand, "They had to know…is that what's been getting on your nerves since your mom and dad came? Has your mom been…"

"Yeah, she said she was cutting me off financially. I don't know when I'll be able to provide for us financially and one day, you are going to want children, and that scares me to death." Taylor admitted. She intentionally avoided her wife's eyes, not wanting to see the disappointment in her wife's eyes.

"So you don't want children?" Zoe asked almost deflated.

"Baby, no," Taylor said pulling her closer, "I want everything you want; the children, a home…I just don't know if I can provide any of that. I don't have a job or..."

"Sweetheart," Zoe said kissing her soundly. "I thought your mother had turned you against our marriage, or you didn't want to have kids or were even still in love with Rashida. Taylor, you have to talk to me, because when you don't, I think the worse."

"I don't want to be a disappointment to you, Zoe," Taylor said sadly. She settled on the sand disregarding the fact that she had on an entire white outfit. Zoe took a seat beside her wife.

"You are never going to disappoint me, Taylor."

"You say that now, but you see how my family looks at me. Like I'm one move every day from screwing up everything. My mother has no faith that I can provide for you or our future family, how am I supposed to feel about that?"

"I love you, Taylor and we will be fine. As long as we love each other…we'll be fine."

* * *

"She is impossible!" Dana said coming back into the restaurant. "Nothing I do is good enough for her…she had the best schools, she went to the best college and this is how she repays me. With a marriage to someone I don't even know or approve of! Stewart, what did I do wrong?" Dana moaned. She sat at one of the tables, bemoaning the fact that her youngest daughter was lost, and not noticing that her oldest daughter was in distress also.

"Just leave Taylor alone, mom," Lena spoke weakly. She could see Stef and Brandon out on the patio checking on Mike and it truly made her stomach turn. The fact that Stef was more concern about Mike, the buffoon that had crashed her party, made her wanted to cry her eyes out. "Just let her be happy, and she's extremely happy with Zoe." Lena could see Rashida grimace out of the corner of her eye.

"She's twenty, Lena. She has no idea what makes her happy yet." Dana rolled her eyes. She turned her attention to Rashida. "You know what, if you would have just stayed with her, we wouldn't be going through this."

"Mom, this is not Rashida's fault," Lena took a deep breath in and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "She and Taylor…come on…"

"It's a better fit! Rashida and Taylor could at least make each other's better! They can elevate one another …"

"I can't listen to this!" Lena said standing.

"What do you mean, you can't listen to this?" Dana asked offended. "You are my daughter, Lena Elizabeth…"

"I know that, mom; but you have to let go eventually. She loves Zoe."

"I won't accept it!" Dana said slamming her fist down on the table. The table shook, rattling the water glasses and silverware on it. "She is my daughter…she will do as I say, I know what's best for her, Lena." Her mother's voice turned back to its cool tone. "She and Zoe are having a fling…"

"Is that what you think of Stef and me?" Lena questioned.

"Really, honey…you and Stef are none starters. She's married, Lena. Her husband is outside now throwing up on the patio at the location of your 30th birthday party. She has a child and a husband, where would she get the time for you?" It wasn't the cynical piece of rubbish that Lena wanted it to be; it was a compounded truth that she didn't want to face.

"She loves me," Lena said weakly, wishing she could believe that as much as she felt the love when she and Stef were alone.

"You are easy to love, Lena. You've never had that problem. The problems are your expectations. If you expect her to ever chose you over her son and his father, you are delusional, Lena."

"Mom…"

"Lena," Stef said stepping slightly inside the room. She had been listening, not intentionally spying, but had become caught up in the topic about which Dana spoke. Lena looked from her mother to her girlfriend and just shook her head. "Dana, this is not my fault," Stef began. "I can't control Mike and what he does, but I love Lena more than anything in this world besides Brandon. And I plan to prove that to her."

"Is my daughter the first woman you have dated, Stef?" Dana asked frankly.

"That's none of your business, Mom!" Lena said highly frustrated. Lena could see Taylor and Zoe enter the room and felt a small sense of comfort.

"Yes, she is the first woman I have dated," Stef said ignoring Lena's protest. She didn't want to hide anything from Dana; she was serious about Lena and Dana would have to face that fact.

"Then how in the hell would you know you love her? This is something you will get over and Lena, poor sweet Lena will be devastated. You have a husband and son and you can go back at any time…"

"What makes you think I would ever want to go back from Lena?" Stef questioned boldly. "My son loves Lena and I love Lena and that's all that matters, Dana."

"Not hardly…she's just heading for heartbreak."

"So what if she is!" Taylor spoke up. "Isn't it better to feel love for one minute compared to just be a judgmental bitch?"

"No!" Dana spat. "It's better to do it right. To finish school, get a great job and marry someone great; not marry the first girl you stop screwing others while you are with; and not someone with a ready-made family."

"Just stop it, both of you," Lena pleaded. "This conversation is going somewhere no one wants it to go and where everyone will regret it."

Taylor eyed her sister and for a slim second and felt sorry for her. That feeling was quickly obliterated when she realized she was in this fight alone. Lena and her father had prided themselves on being the peacemakers in the family, but now Taylor saw that she and their mother was at a complete impasse. "I don't think my wife and I should be here," Taylor said softly.

"Taylor, stop before you say something you'll regret," Lena warned.

"No, Lena," Taylor said firmly. "I'm not going to take it a second longer. We're going to get a hotel room," Taylor said shaking her head, "And after tomorrow, I doubt you'll see much more of me."

* * *

Rashida chased Taylor out into the open windy air. "You can't do this to your mother or your sister!" she said trying to calm down Taylor's heated temper. Zoe was still inside, apologizing for her wife, from what Taylor suspected.

"Shut up Rashida! What are you doing here anyways; and don't give me a load of bull about it being Lena's birthday either!" Taylor warned. She was tired, angry and above all hurt that everything had turned out like this. She was giving up on her parents, especially her mother, but she hated that her father seemed powerless to do anything.

"Is it really impossible to believe that I wanted to be in for my best friend's 30th birthday?"

"Yes! Rashida you left me in a hotel room, ashamed because of my age and who my sister and parents are and when I meet the love of my life, you show up!"

"She is not the love of your life…" Rashida sighed moving closer.

"What do you know?" Taylor asked seriously. She was fed up.

"I know that even though Dana is harsh sometimes, she was right! You and I are meant for each other, and although you want to push me away now…"

"You threw me away, not vice versa," Taylor reminded her harshly. But before she could vocalize another reply, Rashida's mouth was on hers. It felt wrong, the same type of hot and excited wrong it had always felt and although Taylor pulled away, she had to admit that there was something still there between she and Rashida. "I'm married," she struggled.

"Yeah, I know…but you don't feel the same way about her as you do about me. I'm sorry for hurting you, but I still want you, Taylor. I still dream about you being in my bed and you know it's not easy for me to admit."

"I love her…" Taylor said wishing the cool air was cooling her desire. She didn't love Rashida anymore, but love and passion were two totally different things. Everything was easier with Rashida, and right now, she just wanted easier.

"You probably do…but you love me too," Rashida said sitting closer, but this time Taylor rebuffed her by stepping back.

"I can never have the life I want or deserve with you, Rashida," Taylor said honestly. "You will never be my wife, give me children, or be proud that we are together."

"Yeah, but we can have a good life…a life of adventure and sex…"

Taylor wiped her lips with the back of her hand. "That's never going to be enough," she said humbly.

* * *

"Apologize to her!" Lena nearly screamed. Stef was there to keep her balance, and Brandon had taken her hand, but Lena felt as if she couldn't stand or breathe. She wasn't going to lose her little sister because her mother was being pigheaded.

"Lena, she's going to be fine," Zoe said gently.

"No Zoe; Mom, you apologize," Lena stated again. "She has been so unfair of you two; you two are in love…"

"Love doesn't always mean right," Dana retorted quickly. "I don't dislike you, Zoe; but you just aren't right for my daughter."

"And what about me, Dana?" Stef asked boldly. She didn't want to stir the pot, but she couldn't help it. She loved Lena and couldn't imagine life without her.

"Stef…"

"No mom…" Lena turned to Stef. "I love you no matter what…no matter what Mike does. I will always love you and Brandon and protect you two, even if it means going against my mother. I love you so much, you just feel so right…so inevitable to me."

Brandon looked from his mother to Lena and back again. "You love me Ms. Lena?" he asked gently.

Lena bent down to be eye level with the boy. "Yes, Brandon and I love your Mommy very much too."

"Good, because we love you," Brandon said smiling.

"Ain't that great," Mike said, barely able to stand on his own two feet. His words were slurred and his balance was shaky at the most, but hearing the declaration from Lena and his son had sickened him. "What am I supposed to do!" he demanded so loudly that Brandon shuttered. "You two are MY family! And no dyke is going to take that from me!" He stomped and loss his balance, tumbling to the ground. He scrambled back up. "You get the hell out of our lives!" he said moving quickly towards Lena, but Stef stepped in front of her before he become too close.

"If you think about laying a hand on Lena, I will kill you," she said solemnly. "Mike, I have tried to be patient with you, but you can forget seeing Brandon until you straighten yourself up!" she said seriously.

"You can't keep my son away from me!" he said swinging at the air.

"This is what I mean!" Dana said pointing to Mike. "Do you want this for yourself! Is this what you work for!" she asked her daughter. Lena couldn't help, but let the tears spill down her face.

"I love Stef, mom!" she sputtered again. "And I love Brandon. They are my family now, like Zoe is Taylor's, now accept that…or lose us!"

"Really Lena, because Taylor was in the street just a few moments ago, kissing me," Rashida revealed coming back into the room. She smiled seductively and licked her lips at Zoe's apparent grief at the statement. "Her mind may say marriage, but her body…"

Lena closed her eyes to Rashida's words and Zoe's face twisted in torture.

"She wouldn't…" Zoe shook her head. "She loves me."

"Perhaps, in a vacuum, but when temptations arise, Taylor will never make it," Rashida laughed. "And I'm almost positive, you can't satisfy all of her needs. I mean you are cute, and I'm sure you stroke her ego, but Taylor has to live in the real world…and I'm in the real world."

Lena was getting fed up with her friend and definitely her mother. "Get out…both of you…get out," she said wrapping Stef in a hug. Everything was becoming too overwhelming; she was losing her sister, best friend and parents all in one swoop!

"Baby, just calm down," Stef cooed, pulling Lena closer.

"It's all falling apart," Lena whispered. "It's all just falling apart," she groaned sadly.

"Look at me, Lena," Stef said firmly. "I love you so much it hurts," she declared honestly. And looking into Stef's eyes, she knew it was the truth. It was just too bad that at the same time Stef said as much, Mike began to hurl again.


	10. Chapter 10

Dust Settling

It would have been disgraceful to leave Lena in such a despicable mess, but Brandon was getting restless. This was the reason Stef had called Charlie Dimon, or as he was called by all of his cop buddies, "C. Danger." He was Mike's best friend, and he was going to pick Mike up and take him somewhere, hell, anywhere besides right here, right now. There was a long lull of silence in the room, with Lena trying desperately to sort through the mess of her family. Zoe had graciously taking Brandon back to the beach, which was probably more of a benefit to her than to the little boy. The fact that she was emotionally crush was not loss on Stef, but neither was the fact that the girl didn't seem intent on believing anything that Rashida had said.

"Where's Mike?" Charlie asked standing over Stef. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed Charlie coming in. Charlie was a short round man, with no hair at the top of his head and dark blue eyes.

"He's on the patio, getting some air," Stef answered. Charlie had never really liked Stef; she was too strong willed, even in the beginning and now with this whole "lesbian" thing, the sight of her sickened him.

Charlie looked around for a moment, "Not much of a party…" he noted looking at the elaborate decorations but the empty room. He smiled smugly and shrugged, "Well…where is the bitch you left Mike for?"

Stef was grateful that Brandon wasn't in the room. Mike and his friends had a reputation of being chauvinistic pigs, no pun intended, but Charlie had a way of outright offending most people. This fact made him happy, a reputation of meanness and spitefulness gave this idiot pride. He starred around the room until he finally landed on Lena and Rashida talking. Since they were the only two people in Stef's age range, he ran with his assumption. "Oh, and black too?" he questioned. "A black dyke…where do you find them Stef!" he laughed heartily as if he had just told a great joke.

Stef opened her mouth to say something, but Lena coming across the room stopped her. "Stef, is he here to pick up Mike?" she questioned innocently. "It's getting late and this night has been a bit much…"

"So you are the bitch that ruined my friend's marriage," Charlie asked with the same smug smile as before. "I didn't expect you to be black, but I should have assumed as much…as much as you people like to screw up lives…"

"Excuse me…" Lena said, shock registering intensely on her face.

Charlie put his hands in the air as if to surrender, "I'm not trying to offend…you are very beautiful you know…Perhaps you, Stef and me…" he began to laugh again. "I bet you two in bed…"

Before he had time to complete the statement Lena smacked the words out of his mouth. It was the first time Stef had seen Lena truly furious. "You bastard!" she spat in contempt.

Charlie rubbed his struck cheek and breathed in deeply. "I told Mike he must be insane, wanting you now Stef, after you've been with …" he looked at Lena and cringed, "But he insisted. He had to find you and Brandon today. He knows you and….this is going to try to shut him out of his son's life. But he or I won't let that happen, because you are revolting Stef…you and this new problem of yours!"

"Charlie you bastard! No one is going to keep Mike from Brandon if he behaves properly," Stef explained through gritted teeth.

"Behaves properly…coming from you, Stef?" Charlie threw his head back and laughed over dramatically. "If my wife had left me for another woman," he turned and looked at Lena, "I would have killed them both…there is nothing worse than when people don't know their places."

"What's going on here?" Dana asked making her way over. She had overheard bits and pieces of the conversation and what she was picking up on, was troubling to her.

"Mike's friend was giving us a run down on how things should work in the world," Lena said crossing her arms across her chest defiantly.

"Well then please, go on," Dana offered, patiently waiting for Charlie to continue.

Charlie was stunned for a moment, but shook this feeling off quickly. "I was just telling these two how disgusting they are…and now, trying to take Brandon from Mike."

"Disgusting for what?" Dana questioned as if she had no idea what he was talking about. "Oh…you mean being in love?" Dana answered her own question. "And when did Stef say she was going to keep Brandon from Mike? Not even when he crashed my daughter's party has Stef or Lena for that matter, been anything more than patient and caring for Mike. It's more than I would have been, but let's face it, I'm not as gracious as either of these women."

"That's why he had to come here…to make sure Stef didn't try any shit!" Charlie raised his voice. "He told me everything, you know," he said turning to Stef. "About fishing today and how you threatened him. He told me you were gonna take him…that's why I told him to hunt you down and get his son! If my wife was dragging my kids around people like you… Listen, just let me take Mike home and get the hell away from you all. Just remember this, Stef…you will never be hard to find…" he brushed past Stef and paused to whisper, "you weren't today…" He made his way to the patio and helped Mike up and then led him down the patio and around the side of the building.

"Is that the type of people you deal with every day?" Dana questioned holding her breath for a moment. She wanted to be harsher, but a person like Charlie wouldn't have understood harshness the way he understood cool indifference to his behavior.

Lena threaded Stef's fingers with her. "No, they aren't all like that," Stef admitted a bit embarrassed and a lot ashamed. "It's a mixed bag."

"It always is, honey," Dana said kindly. "Well, I should probably find your father, Lena."

"Mom…thank you," Lena said calmly. For all Dana Adam's fault, she was not a person to let anyone be marginalized by bigots.

"May I ask you a question, Dana?" Stef asked. Dana shrugged but waited, "Why is it so easy for you to accept that your daughters are gay?" It wasn't a question that Stef assume she would be asking anyone, especially her new girlfriend's mother, but it was what she wanted to know.

"It's not something I have to accept, honey. Lena and Taylor are gay like they have brown eyes and curly hair," she smiled for a second thinking about her beautiful daughters. "I never wanted my daughters to be ashamed of anything, so when Lena and later Taylor came to me and told me she was gay, I was proud of them. I'm always proud of them," a flash of sadness crossed her face and Dana turned away.

"Mom…" Lena said softly, but the words were already loss.

"I'm going to find your father and head back to the hotel…it's been a long day…"

"She knows she's wrong about Taylor," Lena said watching her mother cross the room. "Now if I could just get Taylor to listen to her…once she's made up her mind, she's so difficult."

"What are you going to do with Rashida?" Stef questioned.

"I just CAN NOT with Rashida right now…" Lena huffed looking toward the ceiling. "It's just too much."

"I'm sorry, love…for making this day even a second more difficult."

"Stefanie, you're not doing anything," Lena promised. "Mike is afraid…afraid of losing you and losing his son…I'm not absolving him of his behaviors, but I don't think he's as horrible a person as he's acting. I don't think you would ever marry a monster."

"I love you so much, Lena," Stef said resting her head on Lena's. "I was thinking, that maybe I could go home and get Brandon ready for bed and then you could come spend the night with me. I know it's a lot to ask but…"

"Yes…I'll spend the night with you tonight," Lena responded quickly, not caring about the chaos that was swirling around her; just about her and Stef.

* * *

Brandon squealed as the water rushed through his toes and just above his tiny ankles. He looked over at Taylor and laughed as she squealed also from the warmth of the water on her feet. It was hard to watch her smile, be happy, when all that was running through Zoe's mind was the fact that she had kissed Rashida minutes earlier. But that didn't seem to register to Taylor as she lifted Brandon and swung him just above the splashing water. He swung above the water a few times and then allowed Taylor to put him down in the wet sand.

"It feels funny," he laughed stomping through the wet sand. He took off running and Taylor followed him slightly behind. Zoe raised her hands over her head and took a deep breath in, inhaling the cool salty air wafting off of the water. Brandon came back to her, and stopped in front of Zoe, almost out of breath.

"Zoe, you aren't having fun," his tiny lip dropped.

"But you and Taylor are having fun," Zoe managed to smile. "That's all that matters." Brandon thought about it for a moment and didn't seemed too pleased with the answer.

"Brandon…Brandon…" Stef called in the distance. He turned to his mother's voice and frowned.

"I think I gotta go," he told Zoe.

"Well, let me help you put shoes back on," Zoe offered smiling. She helped Brandon slide his tiny loafers on and as he turned to head back he stopped.

"Am I gonna see you tomorrow?" he asked to both Taylor and Zoe.

"I don't know, honey," Zoe answered as all three of them headed towards Stef.

"I hope so," Brandon said taking his mother's hand. "Bye," he turned and waved to Taylor and Zoe.

"Thanks again, Zoe," Stef said. "It was so nice meeting you both. I hope it's not the last time I'll get to see you two," she almost waited for a confirmation that it wouldn't be. "Well, have a good night…"

"As if that were still possible," Zoe mumbled. She waited until Brandon and Stef had left, before she rubbed her head roughly. "Did you kiss Rashida tonight?"

Taylor looked at her wife dumbfounded for a moment. "Rashida kissed me to prove a point…"

"And what point was that?" Zoe countered quickly.

Taylor, although feeling eternally frantic, never let it show. "I don't know with Rashida. She's selfish and egotistical…"

"And you are attracted to that…" it wasn't a question, just a distant comment into what her wife's preference were.

"What do you want me to say, Zoe?" Taylor asked softly.

Zoe shook her head as an answer. "I think I'm going to find us that hotel room."

"Without me?"

"I'll call you and leave your key at the front desk, baby," was her only answer.

"At least let me call you a cab…"

"I got it, Taylor. I just need some air and a little space for a little while. I'll call you in about an hour okay?"

Taylor slowly realized that it wasn't going to matter what she said either way. "Okay," she shrugged. Zoe went back inside to call for a cab and pick up her bag, and Taylor was left alone.

Taylor sighed, realizing that she could blame Rashida, her mother, or a number of other factors for the way her wife was feeling right now, but that wouldn't accomplish much. This was as much her fault…as a matter of fact, it was all her fault. Taylor had been open about her past, yes, but she had always made it seem as if Rashida was some prize that she would always convent, instead of just a silly schoolgirl crush that was fulfilled. What in the hell was she going to do; or say to her wife?

"Where's Zoe?" Lena questioned as she came to stand beside her sister.

Taylor glared sideways at her sister and tried to close her eyes to the tears that she felt forming there. "Do you ever feel like you were just unprepared for love?"

"No," Lena answered honestly. "And I highly doubt you are unprepared for it either, although you fight it."

"I wasn't fighting it this time, and I still think it alluded me," Taylor rationalized.

"You weren't? You had to know how things would turn out when you showed up to my birthday with a wife. A wife that you never told anyone about, like you were ashamed of her, or ashamed of us. That's just another way to fight it, Taylor. Why did you sleep with Rashida?"

"Because I was eighteen and horny…" she answered smugly.

Lena tried not to cringe, knowing that she wouldn't get through to her sister that way. "She was significantly older than you, lived on another coast and you considered that a relationship." Taylor rolled her eyes, but listened. "No one really gets to know you, do they Taylor?"

Taylor frowned at her sister, but then smiled devilishly. "That's very poor grammar, Lena." This was Taylor, someone willing to joke to hide her pain. When she saw that Lena remained serious, she shrugged. "It's easier that way."

"Does it feel easier right now?"

"No, it just feels like my heart is breaking," Taylor replied softly. "I can't lose her…" A chill ran across the beach and settled between the sisters. "Well, what are you doing the rest of the night?"

"Taking our parents to their hotel and then going by Stef's. Do you want a ride?"

Taylor pulled out her cell phone and looked at it. She didn't have anywhere to go and she didn't want to go anywhere near her mother right now. "Nah, I think I'm just going to walk along the beach for a while. Clear my mind up some…"

Lena wanted to protest, but Taylor was an adult. "Call me if you need me?"

"Okay." Taylor said heading in the opposite direction of her sister, but to nowhere in particular.


	11. Chapter 11

**First off, let me apologize for the amount of time it took to update the story. Things have gotten pretty busy at work since summer started and I just haven't had the energy or focus to update in a timely manner; I apologize. However, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter...as always comments and reviews are welcomed! **

Nightcaps

This couldn't be happening, Zoe rolled her eyes to the horrible amount of luck she was having. There was no way that Rashida was walking through the lobby of the only hotel that could find Zoe a room at this hour. She had tried three others, and this was the only hotel that had a regular room available tonight. Damn conventions and conferences. Zoe sighed and placed her credit card back in her wallet and tossed it back in her bag. She could feel Rashida's eyes on her, examining her the way a previous lover always did the new one, and it made her skin crawl. The front door clerk slid her two keys.

"Can you keep this one, my wife is coming to join me later," Zoe said a bit loudly, making sure Rashida could hear, if she were listening. The clerk smiled and nodded. Before Zoe turned, she could feel Rashida's presence behind her. Turning slowly, she took a deep breath and examined Rashida thoroughly.

"Everything else in this city booked?" Zoe didn't know if it were a question or a statement, but everything from Rashida felt and sounded hostile to her anyways.

"Something like that," Zoe replied, realizing that Rashida was more beautiful up close. It was a punch to the gut; the unexpected kind that made her want to cry for no real reason. Still, she choked back the tears that were brimming at the edge of her eyes and plastered on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well, if you'll excuse me…"

"I kissed her, Zoe," Rashida said calmly. And for the first time in her life, Zoe wanted to punch another person in the face.

"She said as much," Zoe said fiddling with the key card in her hand.

"But you didn't believe her," Rashida confirmed. She had been to her room and changed out of her party clothes and into a pair of designer jeans and a pink and white shirt. She still had on her high heels, but had now pulled her black hair back into a ponytail. She looked closer to twenty than thirty when she dressed like this. "She's very loyal."

"Don't talk to me about my wife like I don't know her," Zoe warned. Her patience was waning with this woman.

"I'm just saying, I think she actually loves you," Rashida said folding her arms across her chest.

"I know she loves me," Zoe said to herself just as much as to Rashida. "She wouldn't have married me if she didn't…"

"Well, I don't know about that exactly," Rashida shrugged. "Taylor is … spiteful and she self-destructive. If getting married isn't one of the most self-destructive act ever…"

"Excuse me, I'm going to my room," Zoe rolled her eyes, brushing past Rashida. She stopped in her tracks and turned back around. "But just for the record, she is my wife and will be going home with me…and all you were until today was a regretful and vague memory."

Rashida wanted to respond, but figuring that the statement was more truthful than not, rendered her speechless. She took a deep breath and smirked, "Well, I suppose I can take solace in the fact that most of everything she does with you…she learned from me…"

"Disgusting bitch," Zoe mumbled before heading to the elevators. She made it all the way to her room before officially breaking down and crying.

* * *

Stef opened the door and tried to contain her excitement at the fact that Lena had actually made it. It wasn't hard getting Brandon to sleep that night, he was already halfway asleep on the way home; so after Stef made him change into his pajamas and brush his teeth, he went straight to bed. Still, it took Lena longer than two hours after Stef had arrived home to show up.

"I thought you weren't going to make it…" Stef sighed softly.

Lena leaned in and kissed Stef. "I wouldn't miss this," she smiled, although Stef could see how weary she was. "My parents are just kind of post-party freaking out about Taylor right now."

Stef closed the door once Lena walked in. "What exactly are they thinking?" she questioned.

"That she is going to keep her promise and cut us all out of her life from here on out," Lena answered. She sat on the couch and waited until Stef joined her. "The unfortunate thing is that, knowing Taylor, she probably will. Today really hurt her." Lena couldn't resist the urge to pull her cell phone from her bag and check it. "I left her on the beach…"

"Who…Taylor?" Stef asked running her hands through her hair.

"Yeah, what kind of big sister does that?"

"Where is Zoe?"

Lena shook her head signaling that she didn't know. "I think she went to find a hotel room for her and Taylor because my apartment is poison to them now. Baby, I don't want to talk about this right now…I just …this entire day has been a mess."

Stef pulled Lena closer and rested her forehead against Lena's. "And I'm so sorry about my part in making your day hellish. Mike is…"

Lena silenced Stef by placing her lips over hers. She deepened the kiss, feeling Stef softened beneath her mouth. More than anything tonight, she just needed to be held, or even more, she just needed Stefanie. Something to get her mind away from her family, her sister, and most of all, the thought of tonight's events. "I love you so much," she whispered when she and Stef parted.

"Love, I don't understand how," Stef admitted. "Your mother thinks I'm terrible for you…"

Lena laugh with no real humor. "I don't care what she thinks. I just want to be with you, Stef and Brandon. We can make this work…if you want it to."

"Of course I want it to, love," Stef said frowning a bit.

"Why the frown then?" Lena asked placing a hand on either side of Stef's neck. When Stef pulled back, Lena couldn't help but feel the sting of rejection. She couldn't handle this tonight…

"Don't look like that," Stef stood and pulled Lena up with her. She kissed her softly again and took her hand.

"Where are we going?" Lena questioned as Stef led her down the hall. Stef didn't answer, just opened her bedroom door.

"I know it's corny," Stef began, but the look on Lena's face stopped it.

"You did this for me?" Lena asked in awe. Stef had taken the time to buy three different color of roses petals and spread them across the bed and carpet. Soft candlelight outlined the room, although most were burning low at this point, and a bottle of champagne was chilling beside the bed.

"It's nothing specular," Stef downplayed her efforts. Lena wrapped her arms around Stef's neck and smiled.

"I'm really beginning to think that you love me," she teased lovingly.

Stef kissed her nose, "Lena, I love you so much it hurts sometimes. It's scary…"

"You don't have to be scared, Stef, because I feel the same way about you."

"Good…" Stef said closing the door behind them gently as not to wake up Brandon. She led Lena to the bed and they both sat on it slowly. She pulled Lena's mouth to hers, more eagerly than forcefully and reveled in the feel of her. "I've wanted to do this for so long."

Lena smiled against Stef's mouth. "You could have…" she said kissing Stef's neck. Her hands went automatically to the hem of Stef's shirt and pulled it over Stef's head. "God, you are beautiful," she whispered. Stef couldn't help but divert her eyes and blush. She never saw herself as exactly beautiful, but Lena's words confirmed with the amount of desire in her eyes made Stef feel wonderful.

"Wait…wait…wait," Stef pulled back between kisses.

"What?" Lena frowned. "Am I doing something wrong?"

Stef grinned devilishly. "Lena, of course not." She reached back and opened the drawer on her nightstand. She pulled out a perfectly wrapped package and handed it to Lena. "Happy Birthday, love."

"You didn't have to get me anything," she laughed. "All of this has been more than enough and I just wanna be with you, Stef."

"Open it," Stef urged.

Lena opened the pink paper and it revealed a blue Tiffany box underneath. "Stef…" was all she could manage to say. She opened the blue box and the light blue case inside of it. "It's beautiful," she gushed looking at the necklace and moonstone at the end of the chain. "I love it… I love you."

"I wasn't sure exactly what you liked, but I saw this and thought of you; it was beautiful and lovely…"

Lena didn't give Stef time to finish. "Make love to me, Stef… make love to me," she gently begged, pull her shirt over her head.

* * *

"Stewart, please tell me you are not still angry with me," Dana tried to say as smoothly as possible. It hurt when Stewart was angry with her, even though she hated to admit as much. That's why arguing with either Lena or Taylor was usually off limits. However, her daughters' behavior was deplorable here lately and she couldn't let this pass! "Stewart, what was I supposed to do?" she asked sitting on the couch and directly in front of where he was lounging in a chair. Their suite was massive, and if Dana knew Stewart at all, she already knew that he was planning to sleep on the couch.

"You don't get it, do you?" Stewart shook his head mournfully. "They are not babies anymore, Dana but they are still our girls. You have to respect them and let them make their own decisions!" He loosened the cuffs on his shirts and stood. Bending down and looking through the minibar he chose a tiny bottle of scotch and pulled it out. "You are going to drive them away; you may have already done that to Taylor."

"Taylor is making idiotic decisions …and if someone does tell her…"

"She's in love, Dana! She's in love…not idiotic. And if you had given Zoe even one ounce of your attention or conversation you would know that they are in love."

"Love…Taylor has a future. She could do anything with her life. Be anything…she's going to graduate school in the fall…she can't concentrate on graduate school with a wife…children…"

"So you would prefer her to be miserable and hate us? Instead of helping her?"

"I'm not going to subsidize her lifestyle…"

"She never asked us to!" Stewart yelled slamming the mini bottle down before he had a chance to open it. "You've made it impossible for Taylor, because if she loses Zoe, she'll blame us, and if she and Zoe stay together, Zoe will hate you and Taylor will choose Zoe."

Dana thought about it for a moment and realized her husband was absolutely right. "What do you want me to do, Stewart?"

"It could very well be too late," Stewart sighed. "I'm going out to get a drink, Dana."

"Stewart…"

He held his hand up and grabbed his wallet and cell phone off of the table. "Figure out a way to fix this Dana…" he said before slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Stef shivered from Lena's touch, which elicited a faint smile from Lena. "You are so gorgeous," she whispered in Stef's ear.

Stef leaned over to kiss Lena. "You are amazing…I mean, I thought it would be good…but …"

"Yeah, I know," Lena said lying flat on her back. She looked up at the ceiling and reveled in the feel of relaxation for a moment.

"I guess this is what it means to be blissful," Stef murmured. She snuggled up even closer to Lena and buried her nose in the place between Lena's neck and shoulder. After a while, Lena's quiet began to bother Stef. "Hey, love…is everything okay?" Although she didn't want it to, a bit of fear crept into Stef's mind. "Was I not good?" she asked sheepishly.

"Baby," Lena turned to look Stef directly in the eyes. "Of course you were wonderful," Lena assured her. She kissed Stef's lips, chin and finally the base of her neck. "Making love with you is beyond words; I love you so much…"

"Then what's the matter?" Stef asked propping herself up on her arm.

"Nothing…" Lena shook her head trying not to think of her parents and little sister.

"It will be so much easier if we just talk about it," Stef edged on.

"No…" Lena refused. "You know what, I'm starving," she admitted, changing the subject easily. "Can we get some food?"

"Yes," Stef smiled. "We can get some food," she said kissing Lena's forehead. She sat up and looked at the floor where all of their clothes were scattered. "Do you want something to wear?" Lena smiled, realizing that her clothes weren't really appropriate for a sleepover, and this appeared to be a sleepover. Stef wrapped herself in a sheet, still a bit shy even after what she and Lena had just shared. "What do you normally wear to bed?" she asked innocently.

"This isn't good enough?" Lena laughed.

"Geez, be good, Lena," Stef's eyes widened. She pulled out a pair of pajama bottoms and an old football jersey. She came back over to the bed and handed Lena the clothes. "If Brandon weren't here tonight…"

"Don't finish that sentence, Foster," Lena warned laying back and allowing the sheet to fall to her waist. "How about you go to the kitchen and bring back food?"

"Hmmm…" Stef leaned down and captured Lena's lips. "Luckily, I'll do anything for you. I'll be right back," she said sliding on her pajama pants and tee shirt.

Once Stef had left her bedroom, Lena lie back in the bed and tried to hold back a squeal. Although her day had been shaky, being with Stef right now washed all of that away. She closed her eyes and giggled again.

"Hey babe," Stef said sticking her head back into the bedroom. "Your phone has been buzzing on the couch. Are you expecting a call?"

Lena sat up and frowned. "No…" she began, but remembered what she had told her little sister. "Oh, damn…" she took the phone from Stef and looked at it. Four missed calls from Taylor.

"Is everything okay?" Stef wondered out loud.

"I don't know…Taylor has been calling me." Lena wasn't automatically worried, because Taylor was more than capable of taking care of herself. It was just strange that of all times Taylor needed her, it had to be now. She dialed her sister's number, and wasn't particularly surprised when it went straight to voicemail. Luckily, she did have Zoe's number, and figuring that they were together by this point. She dialed her sister-in-law's number.

The phone rang several times before someone answered. "Hello," Zoe answered sounding sleepy.

"Zoe, it's Lena; is Taylor with you?" she questioned hastily.

"…No…I haven't talked to her since I left the party," Zoe divulged quietly. "I needed some time…"

"So she's not with you?" Lena said watching Stef re-enter the room with a small tray.

"I was about to call her…to tell her which hotel I'm at right now…but ..."

"Dammit," Lena gasped. "She's been trying to call me and I missed it and now she's not answering." Lena couldn't help but ask, "Are you two okay?"

"I don't want anything to be wrong with us, Lena, but I don't know," Zoe answered honestly.

Lena fought the urge to beg Zoe to be patient with her sister and instead said, "Okay. I'm sure she's fine and just want to get her things from the apartment. If you talk to her first, can you tell her there's a key above the front doorsill? I'll see you two tomorrow?"

"Yes," Zoe agreed before hanging up.

"Is Taylor not with her?" Stef asked placing the tray on the bed. "I brought strawberries and whipped cream…"

"Oh, did you…" Lena purred, almost forgetting her sister completely.

"It was all I had," Stef laughed jokingly. "Now where is Taylor? She's not with your parents, is she?" Stef tried to resist the urge to be pulled back in by Lena, but it was nearly impossible. Her mind and body screamed in unison for the woman and right now was no different.

"God, I doubt it," Lena shook her head. She picked up a strawberry and dipped it in the whip cream and slowly brought it to her mouth. She took a tiny bite and then handed it to Stef. "Come back to bed."

"At this rate, I'll never leave the bed with you…"

"Is that a bad thing?" Lena asked seductively.

"Brandon will wake up eventually and although he knows bits and pieces…"

"Yes, a naked vice principal may very well set everyone's development back," Lena agreed. "Set the alarm and I'll be out by six in the morning."

Stef took a bite of the strawberry. "I don't you to feel like I'm kicking you out, love. Just a little time for adjustment."

"Shhh," Lena slipped her tongue on the lips of Stef. "I get it…"

"Oh do you," Stef covered Lena's body gently. "I want you again…" When Lena smiled against her lips, she couldn't help but moan. They were well into making out before Stef heard a gasp. "What… am I hurting you?" Stef pulled back and sat up."

"Rashida! Hell…she's probably with Rashida!" Lena moaned in agony.


	12. Chapter 12

Icarus Falling

She saw Zoe's name flash across her phone and resisted the urge to ignore it. She was hurt, hurt that it took Zoe this long to contact her. It had been almost four hours since the party went haywire and her mother and Rashida tried to stick a knife in her relationship with Zoe. They were supposed to be stronger than this…this getting angry at one another and doling out the silent treatment. "Hello," she answered despite it leaving an ill taste in her mouth. The music surrounding her was too loud and she could barely hear what her wife was saying.

"Taylor…Taylor…where are you?" Zoe questioned louder each time. "Babe…"

"Hold on, let me step outside." When Taylor was outside, she put the phone back up to her ear. "What's going on Zoe?"

"I wanted to tell you that I have a room at the Keating hotel. It's the only place that had any rooms available…" Zoe rattled off quickly. Just hearing Taylor's voice brought on the insatiable urge to burst into tears. No matter how many tears she shed this evening, it was never going to feel like enough, she realized. "Can you just come now …please?"

"After four hours, Zoe?" Taylor said softly. "It's nearly midnight now…"

"Taylor…are you coming? Because I'm about to go to sleep…"

"Well, go to sleep, Zoe," Taylor pressed the end button before her wife could say anything else. She headed back inside the music and gin-soaked bar and took her seat back at the small table in the corner. "Sorry, Zoe called," she informed the person across her. "I'm sorry I called you so late…I tried Lena and she didn't answer, and Zoe hadn't been answering either."

"So I was your last option?" her father asked calmly, watching the ice melt and the glass of Scotch sweat in his highball glass. He watched his daughter contemplate the question for a moment before he smiled. "Calm down, Taylor…it's okay. I'm your dad; you can call me whenever."

"Yeah, but you had to take a cab over here…"

"Taylor, you are my little girl. I would have taken a plane to get to you," Stewart assured her. He took a drink of the Scotch and sat back in his seat.

Taylor watched the ice in her water glass shift. "I think I'm going back to Lena's tonight."

"Is Zoe at Lena's?" Stewart questioned casually. He was never much for prying, but he could tell something was off with Taylor's mood.

Taylor balled her lips up gently and looked down at her hands. "No…she has a hotel room at the Keating. The whole Rashida thing…" her father nodded his acknowledgment of the situation. "Dad," Taylor said softly. "I think I'm really bad at it…"

"What's it, Taylor?"

"Being a wife…being in love," Taylor fiddled with the straw in her glass. "It just all feel so foreign; so unexplainably terrifying and I just screw it up."

"Sweetheart, you haven't screwed anything up…you just had your first fight," Stewart smiled warmly. He hated that his daughter felt any turmoil, but he knew all too well how difficult marriage was, and this was only a speed bump on Zoe and Taylor's journey. "Your mother's family hated me… they thought I was a skinny white boy that wasn't nearly good enough for their perfect daughter…"

"When was mom perfect?" Taylor couldn't help but laugh at the notion.

"She was perfect to them, sweetheart," Stewart laughed along with his daughter. "The point is, Zoe's family likes you from what I understand, and we like Zoe. Dana is just stunned by the fact that you got married without us."

Taylor listened to her father, something she could truly say she rarely did with anyone, and tried to digest his words. "So it hurt you too?"

Her father tried to smile, but it failed him. "It would be impossible not to feel hurt, Taylor. You fell in love and got married without so much as a word to your mother or me. I know we haven't been close since you were about ten but…"

Taylor frowned noticeably, "Daddy, we've always been close," she corrected him.

"I have to admit it doesn't feel that way Taylor," he finished the rest of his drink. "You know, I don't like the taste of alcohol."

"Neither do I, not even wine…"

"You get that from me…and your eyes," Stewart smiled. "I drink when I'm stressed."

"Lena and I stress you out," Taylor laughed, watching two guys and a girl take the small stage at the front of the bar. "I miss my bass," she frowned.

"Do you still play?" her father asked curiously, almost embarrassed that he didn't know the answer right off. His daughter had been so in love with her music before she had gone to Harvard and now he didn't even know if she played the damn thing.

"It's in our bedroom…at the end of the bed, taunting me," she admitted softly. "I can't pick it up most days…it makes me feel lost; like I should be something different and now it's too late to go back." Stewart nodded, strangely enough, he knew the feeling. "Do you remember when you used to read me bedtime stories?"

Stewart raised an eyebrow and just nodded, waiting for his daughter to continue. He hadn't started that until Taylor was in school, because unlike Lena, she hated reading. So right before bed, every night, he would pull out a book of mythology stories that he had gotten when he was a young boy. At first, Taylor downright resisted even listening to the myths, but soon she was interested and engaged in the stories. This lead to other fairy tales and bedtime stories and before long, although she didn't love reading, she would do it with her father.

"I remember how much I hated the story of Icarus; it was the worse story of Greek Mythology to me. I mean, his dad gives him a great pair of wings and gives him very easy instructions and he ends up drowning."

"Okay," Stewart nodded, "we can take that from the story." He was suddenly glad that Taylor was excellent at math. "But you have to admit, I'm sure Icarus was happier flying than being on the ground. His wings melting and the subsequent drowning was an accident."

"I didn't even get off the ground; that's what's really pathetic," Taylor rubbed her temple. "I was never going to be a musician; so I guess mom was right about that too. She's always right… and it kills me that she thinks she's right about my marriage."

Stewart didn't want to push, but had to ask. "Is she right about you and Zoe? Because I don't think she is…" when Taylor didn't say anything, Stewart continued. "Taylor, why did you marry Zoe; because you love her or because you want to prove someone wrong?" Before Taylor had a chance to answer, he did so for her. "You love her, Taylor."

"Yeah, but she acts like she doesn't know that," Taylor informed her father.

Stewart shrugged. "Taylor, you've never been very open with your emotions," he noted calmly. "Sweetheart, go to your wife and talk to her."

Taylor looked at the clock above the bar. It was just turning midnight and she was exhausted, but didn't want to face the music. "Let's just sit here a little bit longer…" she suggested, sitting back in her seat and waiting for the music to start.

* * *

Lena found the act of thinking about moving from Stef's bed and actually doing so a bit after midnight, was easier said than done. She stretched again, trying not to focus on the fact that Stef was focusing on her and sighed. "Don't look at me like that," she murmured rolling onto her side to shield herself a bit from Stef's glance.

"Look at you like what?" Stef asked genuinely not understanding the surveillance she had placed on her girlfriend. "I just want you to relax, love," she cooed softly. "You could try calling her again," Stef suggested after her previous comment hadn't seemed to have worked. "Or you could just call Rashida and make sure Taylor isn't with her…"

Lena sat up in bed and frowned. "Maybe I should go, look for her," she said pulling her curls back. She knew Rashida well enough to know that she was staying at the Keating Hotel, it was her favorite. "I mean, I know Rashida is at the Keating…" Stef nodded, trying not to feel hurt by the fact that Lena wanted to leave her bed. Lena sensed as much, and smiled. "Stef, I'm not trying to leave you…I just need to know where my sister is."

"I can understand that," Stef nodded. She wrapped her arms around Lena's waist and pulled her closer. "But, sweetheart, I'm sure she's fine. You said she could handle herself, right?"

Thinking about it for a moment, Lena kissed her girlfriend's cheek. "Thank you for keeping me sane." She allowed Stef to pull her back down and settled in her arms. "She won't be with Rashida," Lena's rationalized, feeling bad about assuming the worse about her sister. "She loves Zoe so much…I've never seen her in love before."

"You don't think she was ever in love with Rashida?" Stef questioned.

"Taylor has a way with women, and Rashida has a way with people; so it's very likely they just crashed into one another…" thinking about the statement she had just made, made her cringe. The thought of Rashida and Taylor in bed was enough to make her cringe. "I've never seen Taylor the way she is with Zoe though. She's so caring and open…I guess you can say."

"I assumed she was more like you …"

Lena shook her head, "No," Lena corrected her. "Promise me you won't ever shut me out, Stef. Like when you are feeling something, or need something, just let me know, okay? I love you so much, and even the thought of losing you…"

"Lena, calm down, you are never going to lose me. And of course, I'll always be open with you." Stef leaned over and kissed Lena softly. It hit her like a ton of bricks, the fact that she didn't want to wake up beside anyone other than Lena Adams for the rest of her life. "I think we should move-in together, Lena."

Lena's eyebrows furrowed and she thought about it for a moment. "What about Brandon, and Mike for that matter."

"Brandon loves you and Mike…he doesn't control how I feel about you, Lena. I want to feel like this every night and every day, I want to know that I'm coming home to the two people I love more than life. Think about it at least," Stef could hear the desire for this in her own voice.

Lena's brown eyes searched Stef's. Her parents were already furious at her sister for getting married, what were they going to think about her moving in with her MARRIED girlfriend! But all of that mattered to Lena right now, as much as their opinion had impacted Taylor's decision. "Yes," she smiled softly. "I would love to move in with you." There were only allowed a few moments of bliss before Lena heard her phone ring. She sprang up and grabbed the phone off of Stef's nightstand.

"Taylor," she breathed a sigh of relief to know that her sister was safe, but not knowing who she was with still hung in the air. "Where are you?" she questioned quickly.

"I'm with Daddy," Taylor seemed annoyed by the question. "Where are you?" she bantered back quickly.

Lena took a deep breath and tried not to be angry with her sister. This was just the way Taylor behaved. "How did you come to be with Daddy?"

"I called him, after my sister that said 'call me if you need anything,' didn't answer after like 100 tries," she stated dramatically. "Anyways, I'm heading to the hotel now…Zoe and I will get our things tomorrow morning. You're home right?" she was fishing, doing so seamlessly and doing a great job at it. She had definitely learned some things for Dana Adams.

"I will be there by the time you and Zoe show up," Lena avoided the real answer.

"Hmm," Taylor said. "Okay…" she had gotten her answer. "Until tomorrow then…" she was poised to hang up but her sister's voice stopped her.

"Are you okay, Taylor?"

"Relatively," Taylor answered nonchalantly. "Have a good night, Lena, and Happy Birthday." Lena could hear the line go dead on the other end and placed her phone back on the nightstand.

"So she's fine?"

"Taylor is always fine," Lena sighed curling back up in Stef's arms.

* * *

The night clerk had one of those looks that guys get when they thought about two women together. "Room 153," he geeked out, remembering vividly the young woman who had left a key for her wife a few hours earlier. He found himself impressed by the caliber of wife that showed up for her.

Taylor lowered her eyes lids and gritted her back teeth. "Thank you," she said sliding the key from the counter and into her pocket. She wanted a shower and sleep, and her wife…The elevator ride was uncomfortable, because she had been there before. It was Rashida's favorite hotel…the first place she had ever taken Taylor and now the thought of it made Taylor's stomach clench in knots. The feel of Rashida, felt as distant and foreign as the sun, yet that night, the following nights lay imprinted on her brain. She rubbed her neck uncomfortably again and shuttered.

She had stayed at the bar a little bit longer, not just to be with her father, although it was nice; but to fortify her anger with her wife. _Why didn't she trust her!_ She had questioned herself. But that knot in her stomach told her that she couldn't be angry with Zoe. Coming face-to-face with someone her wife had made love to would have killed Taylor. She slipped the key into the reader and heard the door click before unlocking and allowing her entrance into the hotel room.

The room was dark and cool, but Taylor could feel the heat rise around her. She was nervous, no petrified for reasons she couldn't articulate. Her wife was curled up gently on "her side of the bed," and snoring softly. Taylor didn't want to wake her, for more selfish reason than not, and tried to silently strip off her pants.

"You came," she heard her wife say groggily. Zoe ran her hand through her short black hair. "It's late…"

"After midnight," Taylor finished for her. "I'm sorry I woke you." Zoe clicked on the bedside lamp and her blue eyes settled on her wife. Taylor walked over to the bed and to her wife. "You've been crying," she digested. Zoe ran a fingering across her cheek, but didn't say anything.

After a while, Zoe asked, "Where have you been?"

"At a bar with my father," Taylor answered quickly.

"You didn't talk to your mother though?"

"I don't have anything to say to her…"

"Baby, she's your mother."

Taylor rubbed her head in annoyance. "Why do you care about her and my relationship, Zoe? She was rude to you and disrespectful about our marriage…I'm not going to give her the time of day anymore," this was a vow, the type that Taylor didn't make often so Zoe recognized the seriousness.

"Taylor I know that…I feel that. But it doesn't take from the fact that she is your mother. If you just tell her how you feel, maybe it would help," Zoe suggested.

"I don't wanna talk about this…I think I'm going to just take a shower…"

"See…and there it is!" Zoe said in an 'ah-ha' tone. "You shut down…on me, on your mom, your dad, your sister.

"What do you want from me, Zoe? You know I love you!" Taylor raised her voice unintentionally. Her hands went to her head in frustration.

Zoe couldn't hold on to her tears any longer and they broke the crest of her eyelids. "I want you! But I don't think I'm ever going to have you…not all of you and that's not enough, Taylor."

"We've had this discussion Zoe," Taylor held onto her emotions a bit longer. She could feel herself losing her resolve, but she hated to cry and even more, she hated to cry in front of people.

"Yeah we have…" Zoe agreed. "We have talked about it over and over, but we never change. I feel like I'm chasing someone who doesn't exist. Maybe…" Zoe paused for a moment, unsure if she should say the next thing, "maybe, Rashida can deal with that. Having your body, but not your emotion, but not me." She grimaced when Taylor took a step back. She wanted to hurt her wife, make her feel exactly how her emotional rejection constantly made her feel, but now Zoe was regretting her words. Because the look in Taylor's brown eyes said that Zoe had finally gotten through, but where did that leave them?


End file.
